


Underground High

by Luv_Bowie_Luver



Series: My Labyrinth Fics [6]
Category: David Bowie (Musician), Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Smut, Ten Lashes/Punishment, drug induced flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-29 07:17:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 84
Words: 39,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3887215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luv_Bowie_Luver/pseuds/Luv_Bowie_Luver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a Teenage Prince in High School isn't exactly Jareth's idea of a good time but his long time best friend James is there to keep him company and soon, a girl named Sarah shows up to make things a little less boring. But there's something else bothering Jareth and when he visits Sarah in her world after walking her home from school one afternoon, he falls in love with her. But a Prince falling in love with someone other than a Princess is against the law, so now..  All Hell is about to break loose...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jareth

A new day began like any other in the Underground, people of all species hurried along their way to get to places they needed to be. Whether that was work, the markets or school - everybody had somewhere they needed to be. In a castle not far from the main part of a Fae village, the King and Queen were already up and starting their daily routines. One such task, was getting their son out of bed and ready for his lessons.  The Queen opened his bedroom door and walked over to his windows, pushing open the shutters so that the sunlight could warm up the bedroom.  
  
  
"Wakey, wakey, Jareth!" she spoke loudly and brightly, "come on, it's time you got up by now."  
  
  
Her teenage son opened one eye, grumbled and rolled over. She smiled at him because she loved him so very dearly, but he had to get out of bed.  
  
  
"Come on sweetheart," she whisked his blankets off him and he slowly sat up with a stretch and a yawn.  
  
  
"That's more like it," she beamed proudly at him.  
  
  
Jareth got out of bed and his mother left the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
  
"When I am King," he grumbled shortly as he made his way over to the dressing table vanity, "I shall outlaw early mornings!"


	2. James

In the next Kingdom along, one of the Allied Kingdoms of the Fae, another teen was already up and eager to get going. His bright, blue eyes gleaned with excitement and his bleach blond hair was slicked back to avoid catching fire by accident - which was a real possibility in this place.  
  
  
"James," his mother, Queen Aryana, cautioned the over excited lad, "do try to at least chew your food, dear."  
  
  
This was the Draconian Kingdom, they were a strange species with many variations running through their bloodlines. The royal family were very human looking, but with alterations such as fangs on their upper and lower jaws, as well as dragon-like wings that were big and strong enough for flight. Others were more anthro with much of their body very reptilian, yet still others were simply dragons of all shapes and sizes. They spoke Draconic most of the time, a very difficult language to learn unless you were born amongst it.  
  
  
"But it tastes so good!" James answered her.  
  
  
"Don't talk with your mouth full, son," his father, King Julian, said firmly.  
  
  
James nodded and slowed down just a little, wanting to get out of the castle as quickly as possible. James was their only child, they were protective of him and it made them nervous when they had to let him leave the castle but James was strong and independent; even as a toddler they couldn't keep him indoors if they tried.


	3. Rebel Rebel

"Why do I have to go?" Jareth ventured into the dining hall for breakfast, sitting at the table unhappily.  
  
  
"Jareth, we've been through this," his mother replied gently, "I want my boy to be a good King and that means you must attend school."  
  
  
"Father never went to school," Jareth grumbled.  
  
  
His parents glanced at each other silently, but Jareth didn't say anything more about the matter.  
  
  
"Cheer up, son," his father tried, "it's not like you won't know anyone, James will be there. You two have been friends since you were tots." Jareth rolled his eyes.  
  
  
"Yeah," Jareth sat back with bemusement, "and he is still a pain in the-.. "  
  
  
"Jareth," his mother cut him off, "please don't roll your eyes, sweetheart. It is very rude."  Jareth lowered his gaze with a sigh.  
  
  
"You're slouching, son," his father pointed out. Jareth grit his teeth and straightened up, perhaps getting out of this place for a few hours a day wouldn't be so bad afterall...


	4. School Day Jitters

The schoolyard was not exclusive, it was the only one for a long distance and many different kinds of folk attended. Jareth leaned against a tree out in the grassy area where some students would either sit around reading, eating or just hanging out with friends. James was with him and they surveyed the schoolyard curiously, it was not their first day but they were still not quite used to mixing with other people - some of them were even the offspring of peasants. James turned to Jareth and sidled up close to him for comfort, he was a very open and outgoing Draconian but he still got jitters every school day morning.  
  
  
Jareth slid his arm around James' waist and looked at his nervous friend, tilting his head.  
  
  
"When are you going to get over it?" Jareth asked him.  
  
  
"Never," James replied nervously, "I hate this part."  
  
  
Jareth smirked and looked around them, but nobody was out here this early. James leaned in and started kissing his neck, Jareth closed his eyes for a moment before gently pushing James away.  It helped James to relax, so he tolerated it slightly.  
  
  
"Someone will see!" Jareth scolded him half heartedly.  James shrugged.  
  
  
"Nah," he gestured around them, "nobody's here yet."   Jareth looked over at the buildings that made up the school rooms.  
  
  
"Do you fancy anyone yet?" asked James.  
  
  
"No," Jareth frowned. James lifted a brow.  
  
  
"You're kidding?" James asked, "there's so many hot girls here!"  Jareth looked bored.  
  
  
"I suppose so," he agreed, "but they're too... I don't know, easy."  
  
  
"How do you mean?" asked James.  
  
  
"I mean they flirt with me non stop," Jareth sounded tired already, "I prefer a challenge."  
  
  
"I've been going about it all wrong?" James teased him.  Jareth looked amused for a second and then bit back his smile.  
  
  
"Shh!" Jareth hushed him, looking around uneasily.  James folded his arms, smirking.  
  
  
"So what kind of girl do you want then?" he asked Jareth.  
  
  
"I'm not sure," Jareth replied, watching as the yard began to fill up with students, "I want someone... different."  
  
  
"You mean like a Dwarf?" James asked him playfully. Jareth shoved him.  
  
  
"Don't make me vomit!" Jareth growled. James chuckled and held up his hands.  
  
  
"Sorry!" he laughed, "I was just kidding!"  
  
  
"Well it wasn't funny," Jareth growled.  
  
  
"Alright," James settled down, "I didn't mean anything by it."  They looked up as some girls walked past, giggling and winking at the two boys.  
  
  
"See what I mean?" Jareth said quietly.  
  
  
"Well maybe if you didn't wear your pants so tight?" James mused, looking down slowly. Jareth opened his mouth but a bell began to toll somewhere and it was time to go inside.


	5. Classroom Trouble

Sitting at the back of the room, Jareth leaned back with James sitting to his right and another boy sitting to his left.  
  
  
"Psst!" the other boy whispered and Jareth slowly turned to look at him, "check this out, neat huh?"  Jareth looked at the small bauble in the young Dwarf's hand, unimpressed.  
  
  
"I found it this morning," the boy continued, "I wonder what it's made of?"   Jareth leaned in closer, as if to examine the bauble.  
  
  
"It's called _plastic_ ," he said shortly, turning his attention back to the front of the class. _Stupid, peasant, know-nothing little_... He felt something tugging his arm and he looked down at the Dwarf, irritated.  
  
  
"What's plastic?" asked the boy.  Jareth started to get angry, but suddenly changed his mind and smiled politely.  
  
  
"It's a very rare material," Jareth teased him, "highly sought after, I'd hold onto it tight if I were you or somebody might try to steal it!"  The boy's blue eyes grew wide, gazing down at the little plastic bauble in his palm. He failed to see Jareth's smirk of amusement as he quickly tucked the little bauble into his pocket.  
  
  
"Jareth, Hoggle!" the teacher snapped firmly, "no talking during lessons!"  Jareth sat back and sighed heavily, but Hoggle nodded and apologized quietly, getting on with his work. James leaned in close to Jareth.  
  
  
"Tut-Tut talking to _peasants_ now are we?" James whispered with a grin.  
  
  
"Shut up, James," Jareth grumbled, picking up his quill to dip into the inkwell. James chuckled softly, he did so love it when Jareth got angry but he also knew when to back off.


	6. Schoolyard Bullies

During a lunch break, Jareth and James wandered over to their usual tree, it gave them plenty of shade and was on a small rise so that they overlooked the entire school grounds. Jareth liked this spot because he was set above everyone else up here, James simply liked to be on display. They were an unlikely duo, for they could not have been any more opposite and yet they were closer than two platonic friends had ever been before. But they had a history together, they'd been through so much and most of it was only bearable for the simple fact that each of them had the other to lean upon during the worst of it all. They also had a lot of great times with each other, even though they did argue quite a bit but what good friends didn't?  
  
  
"How did we end up in this dump anyway?" Jareth asked James, sitting down against the tree.  
  
  
"Well," James stood close by, "as I recall, you got us both into trouble so many times that our parents decided we needed to learn to behave."  
  
  
"Oh _I_ got us into trouble, did I?" Jareth glared up at him, "if memory serves me correctly, it was _you!_ "  James sat down beside him, a light furrow on his brow.  
  
  
"What is with you today?" James asked him gently, "you're grumpier than usual."  Jareth leaned back and gazed up into the branches of the tree.  
  
  
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. James gave his shoulder a squeeze, but it didn't explain what was going on with his friend.  
  
  
"Is there anything I can do to help?" James offered.  
  
  
"I'm fine," Jareth sighed heavily. James looked around as a fight started to break out, he smirked amusedly.  
  
  
"Looks like Didymus is at it again," James said with a chuckle. Jareth lifted his head to watch the boys arguing, he lifted a brow in mild interest.  
  
  
"His father is a Knight you know," Jareth told James.  
  
  
"No kidding?" James was surprised, watching Didymus charge with a big, long stick towards his tormentors, "that explains a lot."  James started towards the gathering crowd of people, putting himself between Didymus and everyone else. James did not enjoy conflict if it was at all avoidable, but he would not stand by and watch others get beaten up either. Draconians were strong creatures, it took a lot to hurt them and not even fire could do any damage to their hides.  
  
  
"Alright, back off you lot!" James raised his voice, dispersing the crowd and turning to look at Didymus. He was a ginger haired boy with angry brown eyes, always closely followed by a very timid, shy boy named Ambrosias who often ran away whenever Didymus got into a fight.  
  
  
"What did you do that for?" demanded Didymus, "I had them right where I wanted them!" James watched him storm off, then slowly made his way back over to Jareth.  
  
  
"I don't know why you bother," Jareth said stiffly, "he never appreciates it."  
  
  
"He's a skinny little runt with a very big mouth," replied James, "they'd cream him."  
  
  
"Serves him right," Jareth turned his gaze back to the treetop, "stupid little fool." 


	7. Teenage Issues

James knelt down, concern on his face now.  
  
  
"Seriously Jareth," he spoke quietly, "what is _with_ you?"  
  
  
"You want the truth?" Jareth got up and walked around to the other side of the tree, away from prying eyes and ears, "I'm tired of people telling me what to do."  James followed him around the tree and looked across the field that lay before them. The school grounds were not fenced in, but the borders were well known by now.  
  
  
"It makes me tense," Jareth admitted, "I can't wait until my coronation."  
  
  
"That will be a grand day indeed," James nodded with a grin, "then you will be King... "   Jareth spun around to face him now.  
  
  
"It's too long, James!" Jareth raised his voice a little, "don't you see? I want to be a King right now! I don't want to be waiting for hundreds more years until my parents retire!"  James shrugged.  
  
  
"What else can you do?" he asked curiously, "it would be wrong to murder them."  
  
  
"I never said I would," Jareth averted his gaze.  James smirked.  
  
  
"Then what?" he asked, "you're just gonna go off and find an unruly bunch of ... of ... _goblins_ and become their King?"  Jareth glanced sideways at him.  
  
  
"What's a goblin?" he asked.  
  
  
"Horrible little pests," James replied, "look, just give it some more thought before you do something rash, alright?"   Jareth sighed and James shifted closer to him, touching his arm comfortingly.  
  
  
"It's not much longer now," James reassured him as Jareth sat down again, "I'm sure this school stuff doesn't last for more than a few years."  
  
  
"Years?" Jareth looked at him as James sat down beside him, "I thought... Ugh, nevermind."  
  
  
He stared over at the river in the distance, his intense gaze burning angrily. James rubbed his shoulders, then pushed him gently onto his back, leaned down and started making out with him. Jareth protested very slightly, but not convincingly enough to make James stop.


	8. Seeds Of Friendship

A few moments later, a twig snapped and James broke the kiss slowly.  
  
  
"Jareth?" came a timid voice.  Jareth opened his eyes and turned his head, James stayed poised over him and looked at their visitor.  
  
  
"What do _you_ want, Hedgewart?" Jareth drawled lazily, not pleased about being interrupted just when he was starting to relax.  
  
  
"Um, it-it's Hoggle, y-your Highness," Hoggle corrected him nervously. James tried not to laugh, Jareth just looked more annoyed as he sat up so James backed off from him a little way.  
  
  
"S-Some one stole me plastic," Hoggle fidgeted nervously and looked pleadingly at the young Prince. Jareth wasn't sure what the problem was here.  
  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" Jareth demanded.  
  
  
"Well, you said it were valuable," Hoggle replied and Jareth had to bite his tongue at the poor grammar, "and now someone's stolen it, could yer help me get it back? Please?"  Jareth was certainly surprised at the question, he had no interest in such affairs of peasant folk.  
  
  
"Who stole it, kid?" asked James.  
  
  
"I ain't no kid!" Hoggle stomped his foot angrily, "I'm jest as old as you are!" James laughed quietly, Dwarves did look quite funny to him when they got mad. Jareth got up off the ground and brushed the leaves from his clothes, knelt down in front of Hoggle and poked his chest roughly with one finger so that Hoggle stumbled backwards a short way.  
  
  
"Listen here you repulsive little _scab!_ " Jareth growled.  
  
  
"Uhm, what Jareth means to say," James quickly got between them and Jareth stood up to his full height, "is that I'm sure the teachers can help you deal with the problem, right Jareth?"  
  
  
"Yes," Jareth spoke through clenched teeth, "that's _exactly_ what I meant."  
  
  
"Teachers?" Hoggle scoffed, "aw they ain't got nothin' on you, Jareth! Yer far more intimida-... erm, I mean _persuasive_... " Jareth looked down at him with one lifted brow.  
  
  
"I suppose I am," Jareth agreed, "alright then, show me where this thief is. I shall have his hands removed."  Hoggle looked pale.  
  
  
"I don't think we need ta go quite that far," he said nervously.  
  
  
"Come now Higgle," Jareth scolded him, "do you want it to keep happening? A thief must be taught a lesson."  
  
  
"Um, it-it's Hoggle," the Dwarf muttered, as he turned and led Jareth to the boy who had stolen his bauble.  
  
  
James stayed behind, this was nothing that interested him and he had seen a pretty girl smiling shyly at him just now so his mind was completely elsewhere. James loved attention and the more affectionate, the better. Jareth was usually subjected to kisses or hugs whenever James was feeling upset, hurt or just plain nervous. Or sometimes if James thought Jareth needed some cheering up himself and he figured he could get away with it. James was always careful not to overdo it, he didn't want to piss Jareth off too much because they were very close and he loved what they had together. It was rare and valuable to them both, to have such a close connection with someone that was shared with no others.  
  
  
Jareth often scolded him for it, or simply rejected the advances but it never deterred James from trying again later because he knew that Jareth was not always so objectionable to the occasional intimate moment with him. James was a very affectionate person, he would give and take it from anyone no matter the species nor the gender. As long as it was mutually acceptable, he had no issues with being selective. Jareth was more picky, however. He wanted a nice girl to marry and become his Queen someday but he was having a lot of trouble finding just the right one. His interest lay only in women, though every now and then his gaze did wander to a male here and there but the interest was mere curiosity and James was more than willing to satisfy any questions that might have arisen in those moments.  
  
  
"Hallo gorgeous," James sat down with the winged beauty, her fiery red hair a startling contrast to her obsidian skin.  
  



	9. Friends In High Places

"He's right over here," Hoggle led Jareth to a group of male teens, who were tossing the little bauble to each other and laughing loudly. They all turned to look at Hoggle with sneers but then they noticed Jareth and straightened up nervously.  
  
  
"Now yer in fer it!" Hoggle pointed them, "give me back me property!"  Jareth grimaced at the poor language skills the Dwarf possessed and Leon tossed the bauble back to the little Dwarf teen.  
  
  
"We were just having a laugh," Leon said skittishly, "we were going to give it back after lunch, I swear!"  Jareth was not a fighter, but he was the Prince of this land and could easily have anyone punished for even such a small indiscretion. Everyone knew he would become King someday and it would do them no favors to get on his bad side.  Hoggle shoved the trinket back into his pocket, then he looked at the bullies smugly as they began to disperse.  
  
  
"You didn't even have to say nuthin'!" Hoggle marveled.  
  
  
"I didn't have to say _anything,"_ Jareth corrected him.  
  
  
"That's what I just said!" Hoggle frowned at him.  
  
  
"Ugh," Jareth turned on his heel and began to stride away.  
  
  
"Jareth," Hoggle called after him. Jareth paused and glanced back at him impatiently.  
  
  
"Thanks," Hoggle said quietly. Jareth looked at him a little less angrily and nodded, then made his way to the tree and sat back down again. His mind began to wander to what James had said earlier, about finding an unruled species and becoming their King. Could it work?  Did such an uncouth creature even exist?  
  
  
James returned before too long and stood near Jareth, looking at the sky.  
  
  
"It's almost time to go back in," James reported.  Jareth looked up at him.  
  
  
"Why are you so interested in getting back to class?" he asked curiously. James smiled back down at him.  
  
  
"My favorite subject is coming up," he replied cheekily, "Biology!"  
  
  
Jareth sighed and stood up, shaking his head lightly as they made their way back into the stone building. James made studying anatomy a lot of fun for anyone in his class, he had an endless supply of sexual innuendos and jokes to ruffle the teacher's feathers with but it was taken with light humor and he always stopped when he thought he might have almost gone too far. At one point, he leaned in close to Jareth's ear and whispered something about wanting to study Jareth's anatomy, to which James then had to explain why he suddenly had an inky quill stuffed into his mouth the next time the teacher looked at him.


	10. Walk Me Home?

Later, as everyone was making their way home or wherever they went after school, James and Jareth heard a panting noise and stopped to turn around and see what it was. Hoggle was trying to keep up with them, James was quite happy to wait and walk with him but he wasn't so sure Jareth would like it. Hoggle was always getting picked on by the bigger students, he was the only Dwarf brave enough to attend school even though he wasn't very good at it.  
  
  
"Hello there, Hoggle," James greeted him, "you want me to walk you home?"  Hoggle looked up at him, out of breath.  
  
  
"If yer don't mind," he answered with a nod.  
  
  
"You'll get him into a habit," Jareth warned James.  
  
  
"It can't hurt just this once," James shrugged, "I'll see you later."  Jareth continued walking home and James kept his word, making sure Hoggle got home safely.  
  
  
"Thanks, your Highness," Hoggle was grateful to James.  
  
  
"Don't mention it," James waved it away.  
  
  
"I do wish Jareth would have come along," Hoggle said wistfully, "I try to be nice to 'im but he's... "  
  
  
"He's Jareth?" James suggested, amusedly.  Hoggle lowered his gaze.  
  
  
"Yeah," Hoggle pushed his rickety old door open, "maybe I'll try again tomorrow."  
  
  
"Can't hurt," James grinned, spreading his wings and flying off. Hoggle went inside to his bedroom, placing his shiny, plastic trinket upon his rotting, wooden shelf. He wouldn't forget that Jareth had helped him to retrieve it, perhaps someday he could return the favor but he honestly didn't know what possible use Jareth could ever have for him.


	11. A Mortal Girl

In another time, in another place, there was a girl who also felt unhappy at school. She sat in her room one night and opened her drawer to retrieve a pencil but something else slid into view. She hesitated and picked it up carefully with her fingers, a tiny golden ring with a simple crystal clear orb embedded into it. She had found it in a musty old store in an alley on her way home one afternoon, it was cute so she bought it but the old woman who sold it to her told her to be careful with it. She warned that it could grant wishes, if the wish was truly desired and if she wished hard enough. Of course, she hadn't believed a word of it but right now she sure could use a change of scenery.  
  
  
High School sucked and it simply did not challenge her, the people were so immature and boring. She slipped the ring onto her finger and sighed heavily, wishing she could attend a school that was not only challenging, but with such a variety of different people that she would never get bored again. She got up and went to bed, the wish still fresh in her mind and her heart set on it coming true.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Morning came and the girl woke up in her bed as usual, thinking the wish hadn't worked and of course - why should it have?  She got ready for school, grabbed some toast for breakfast and hurried out the front door. She stopped in her tracks, looking around herself but where was she?  Some people were walking in her direction, carrying bags and chatting happily. She wanted to ask them what was going on, but as they got closer she saw that they had wings and pointed ears. They walked by her, talking about classes and so she followed them because they sounded like they were heading for school as well. When she arrived, she stared around at the strange people and knew that somehow her wish really had come true. But how could it be possible?


	12. Sarah

"Hi," a voice spoke to her brightly. She turned around to see some girls looking at her curiously, one of them had wings but the other didn't.  
  
  
"Oh, hello," she greeted them shyly.   
  
  
"Are you new here?" asked the winged girl. She had flame red hair and dark, obsidian skin.  
  
  
"Yes," she nodded with a small smile, "it's my first day."  
  
  
"You'd better stick with us then," said the winged girl, "my name's Ember and this is my best friend, Claire."  
  
  
"My name is Sarah," she introduced herself, pleased to have met some nice people already, "I'm so nervous."  
  
  
"Don't worry," said Claire, "we'll show you around."  
  
  
"What's to see?" asked Ember.  
  
  
"First of all, the most important thing in High School is.. " Claire smirked darkly, "boys! Come on!"  She rushed off and Ember shook her head, smiling.  
  
  
"Well we gotta start somewhere," she shrugged and Sarah followed them into the school yard. There was a commotion over by the restrooms, some larger boys were pushing what looked like a Dwarf into the girls toilets. He stumbled into it and moments later he was being chased out by some angry girls, while the boys doubled over with laughter.  
  
  
"Oh, the poor thing!" Sarah felt sorry for the Dwarf.  
  
  
"I'm sure he's used to it," said Claire, "I wouldn't worry too much, if he didn't like it; he would stop coming here."  
  
  
"That's a terrible thing to say!" Sarah got more upset with the situation.  
  
  
"Wow, you're uptight," Claire looked at her distastefully, "so do you like any of the guys or what?"  
  
  
"Not if that's how they treat other people, no!" Sarah felt riled up.  
  
  
"Perhaps we should go and find a quieter place to hang out before the bell tolls," Ember suggested, leading them both away from the buildings and over towards the school grounds. They walked slowly by a small rise and Sarah glanced up at two more guys, who were talking to each other under a tree.  
  
  
"Who are they?" she asked.  Ember glanced up.  
  
  
"Oh, that's James and Jareth," Ember replied.  
  
  
"Why aren't they being jerks with the other boys?" Sarah wondered curiously.  
  
  
"James and Jareth are royalty," Claire spoke with a mock air of snootiness, "they wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with common folk."  
  
  
"I see," Sarah looked back at them again as they continued walking, how incredible was this place that she'd be attending school with _actual Princes?_


	13. Group Discussions

"Well that's not entirely true, though," Ember spoke now, "James is a good guy."   
  
  
"Yeah but he hangs around with Jareth," Claire added.   
  
  
"James hangs around with _everyone_ ," Ember reminded her, "he's a very easy going boy."   
  
  
"Sounds nice," Sarah smiled, "is Jareth his brother?"   
  
  
"They might as well be brothers, but no," Ember replied, "they're just.. close."   
  
  
"Okay," Sarah looked puzzled.   
  
  
"I don't know why," Claire looked annoyed, "Jareth is not as nice as James, they're like complete opposites."   
  
  
"Jareth has been rather moody lately," Ember agreed, "but he can be really sweet, too."   
  
  
"Yeah I guess," Claire shrugged. They sat down together and kept talking, answering any questions Sarah thought she might need to know.  
  
  
*   
  
  
James noticed the girls as they walked by, but Jareth only glanced at them briefly before turning away and seating himself against the tree. James slowly sat down beside him, his gaze still on a new girl he'd never seen before.  
  
  
"She's cute," James said without thinking.   
  
  
"You're going to have to be more specific," Jareth chided him, "you say that about every single girl you see."  James turned back to him and smirked.  
  
  
"Jealous?" he teased playfully.   
  
  
"Hardly," Jareth grimaced, "so who is it this time?"   
  
  
"I'm not sure," James looked around again, "I've never seen her.. "  Jareth leaned forwards, looking over at Sarah just as she tossed her dark hair over her shoulder and James grabbed at his chest.  
  
  
"I am so in _love_ ," James sighed.   
  
  
"You're in love with _sex_ ," Jareth leaned back again, "admit it, once you've got what you need, you're over it."   
  
  
"That's a bit uncalled for," James frowned at him. Jareth closed his eyes.   
  
  
"Still fed up with being bossed around?" James ventured.  
  
  
"How did you guess?" Jareth opened his eyes again. James rested his head upon Jareth's shoulder, feeling Jareth's head against his own as Jareth accepted the contact.   
  
  
*   
  
  
"Aww, I love it when they do that!" Ember was watching Jareth and James.  Claire looked over at them and smiled a little, she also found it cute but she would prefer it if James would talk to her instead of Jareth.  Sarah looked around, too.   
  
  
"That is so sweet," Sarah said quietly.   
  
  
"I told you," Ember grinned, "Jareth isn't all bad. Maybe something is just bothering him at home, I'm sure he will get over it soon enough."   
  
  
"Can I meet them?" asked Sarah, "they seem so nice."    
  
  
"Maybe later," Claire got to her feet, "the bell's about to toll."  Sarah and Ember got up off the grass and the three of them walked towards the buildings. 


	14. A Change Of Heart

During a lunch break, Sarah met her new friends just outside the classrooms.  
  
  
"Ugh, they're at it again!" Ember said, her hands on her hips. The boys from this morning were dragging the Dwarf into the boy's restroom, jeering and laughing. They dragged Hoggle into a stall and started sticking his face into the toilet, holding it there for a moment at a time before jerking it back up to let him breathe.   
  
  
"I hope he's alright," Sarah said softly, as the boys didn't come back out for a while.   
  
  
"Let's go," Claire said boredly, "I wanna go see James."   So they walked out to the grounds again, James was up by the tree alone because Jareth hadn't made his way up there yet.   
  
  
"Hi James!" Claire greeted the young Draconian.   
  
  
"Hallo beautiful," James greeted her right back.  
  
  
They hugged and Claire kissed his mouth, coaxing him into making out with her and putting her hands on his ass.  Sarah blushed and averted her gaze, Ember shook her head with irritation because she liked James as well. Over by the boy's restroom, Hoggle was finally left alone to stagger out of the building. He was soaking wet and spluttering, utterly humiliated as everyone nearby was laughing hard at him. Hoggle lowered his head, walking away sadly with his eyes on his feet. He suddenly ran into someone and stumbled backwards, looking up as Jareth turned around to see who had just bumped into his legs.  
  
  
"Why don't you look where you're going?" Jareth demanded. Hoggle mumbled an apology, then Jareth noticed his state and knelt down.  
  
  
"What happened to you?" Jareth asked.   
  
  
"It don't matter," Hoggle grumbled, "an' whadda you care anyways?"   
  
  
Jareth slowly stood back up and Hoggle walked around him, continuing on his way downheartedly. Jareth followed him curiously, he was going the same way as Hoggle anyhow but he walked along behind the Dwarf slowly to see where he was headed. Claire finally let go of James, but kept snuggling into him with her arm around his waist.   
  
  
"Jareth's coming over," Ember noticed the other young Prince approaching.  
  
  
They turned to look at him and noticed that Hoggle was walking with Jareth, which certainly took them all by surprise. There were some guys not too far away who were planning on further tormenting Hoggle, but they were put off by his unwitting escort and went to hang out somewhere else instead. Jareth and Hoggle walked up to where James stood with Claire, Jareth folded his arms and leaned against the tree while Hoggle approached James.  
  
  
"Wow, you _stink!_ " Claire reeled back and moved away.  James knelt down, frowning with concern at the Dwarf.   
  
  
"Can I hang out over here?" Hoggle asked the Draconian.   
  
  
"Of course," James nodded, "what happened to you?"   
  
  
"Bullies again," Hoggle grumbled, sitting down. Claire half expected Jareth to complain and send Hoggle away, but Jareth wasn't saying anything at all. James sat down next to Hoggle, offering him a small cloth from his pocket. Hoggle took it and tried to dry himself off.   
  
  
"Thanks," Hoggle said quietly. 


	15. Getting To Know You

"Hey guys, we want you to meet Sarah," Ember announced gently, "she's new here."  Sarah looked down at Hoggle and James with a smile.   
  
  
"Hi," she greeted them.   
  
  
"Yeah, hi," said Hoggle grumpily.  James grinned at her and Sarah thought he was very cute.   
  
  
"Where are you from, gorgeous?" James asked her and Sarah blushed.  
  
  
"Just down the way," Sarah was purposefully vague, "is he alright?"   Hoggle glanced up.   
  
  
"I'm perfectly fine," he grumped, "thanks to Jareth."  Jareth looked up from the ground, as he had been deep in thought until now when he'd heard his name.  
  
  
"What did Jareth do?" asked James curiously.   
  
  
"Ya think I don't notice when people are gonna try an' get me?" Hoggle spoke evenly, "I might be small but I see more than most. Jareth walked with me right over here and made sure I wasn't bullied again."  Jareth lifted a brow, had he done that?  Everyone looked at him surprisedly, but Sarah beamed at him.  
  
  
"That was very kind," she said, happy that Claire had been wrong about him. She wasn't pleased about going to a school where all of the boys were mean, so it was good to find out that it wasn't true of all of them. James stood up and stretched his wings, then he went and stood beside Jareth near the tree.  
  
  
"I must be rubbing off on you," James smirked.   
  
  
"I doubt that very much," Jareth replied shortly.   
  
  
"James, come with us!" Claire was keen to get away from Hoggle, he smelled like a boy's toilet! James pushed away from the tree and walked with the girls over to where they usually sat. Sarah hung back for a moment, looking at Jareth.   
  
  
"You seem distracted," she tried to engage him in conversation, wanting to find out what he was like for herself.   
  
  
"I have a lot on my mind," Jareth confirmed, "but where are my manners?"  He smiled politely at her and Sarah's heart suddenly thumped hard.   
  
  
"I am Jareth," he half bowed to her and kissed the back of her hand. Sarah was blushing brightly.   
  
  
"Sarah," she spoke shyly.   
  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," Jareth held her gaze and Sarah found his eyes absolutely entrancing.   
  
  
"I think it's wonderful that you're so kind to Hoggle," Sarah told him, "I don't like bullies. They're so full of themselves."   Jareth grew curious at the way she got so heated up over an issue that he barely took an interest in.  
  
  
"How are you finding school here so far?" Jareth asked her.   
  
  
"It's different," Sarah admitted, "so much more challenging than my old school. I really like it so far, but some of the students leave something to be desired."  
  
  
"Tell me about it," Jareth agreed, "I honestly don't know why half of them even bother to show up."  Sarah smiled at him again, he seemed to be on the same wavelength as her.   
  
  
"Sarah, come on!" Claire called her over and she bid Jareth a hurried goodbye, quickly rejoining her new friends. Hoggle looked up at Jareth.   
  
  
"You fancy her, then?" he ventured, noting Jareth's gaze still upon the girl. Jareth looked down at him and sighed heavily, seating himself.   
  
  
"How do you deal with it, Headwart?" he asked Hoggle, "people push you around all the time, doesn't it get to you at all?"    
  
  
"Of course it gets to me!" Hoggle spoke angrily, "everyone here is bigger and stronger than me, there's nothing I can do to stop them and it's _Hoggle_.. "  Jareth frowned.    
  
  
"I don't understand," Jareth said to him quietly, "this place must be hell for someone like you."   
  
  
"Yeah, well," Hoggle shifted uneasily, "so what's it to ya?"    
  
  
"You keep coming back!" Jareth said in disbelief, "why?"    
  
  
"I don't know!" Hoggle threw his hands up into the air, "why're you asking me this?"  Jareth sat back against the tree, looking at Hoggle silently. 


	16. Respect

"I can't believe Jareth is talking to Hoggle," Claire spoke in disgust. She was moderately rich and didn't like people of lesser wealth.   
  
  
"Hoggle's alright," said Ember, "what's your problem?"    
  
  
"He smells like a _toilet!_ " Claire grimaced, "and he's so.. _ugly!_ "    
  
  
"Hey," James scolded her with a frown.   
  
  
"Sorry James," Claire apologized, "but you know what I'm talking about, right?"   James stood up.    
  
  
"Where're you going?" asked Ember.   
  
  
"Suddenly the air isn't so fresh over here," James replied coldly, "see you later, Ember. It was nice to meet you, Sarah."  He turned and made his way back over to Jareth and Hoggle.   
  
  
"I suppose I'm just stupid," Hoggle was saying as James rejoined them on the small hill.   
  
  
"You're not stupid," said Jareth, "in fact, you're the bravest.. "  His words were cut off as the bell tolled and he stood up, but Hoggle still had his words etched into his mind. _Jareth had called him brave.._  
  
  
"Come on Hoggle," James encouraged the Dwarf, "walk with us."  Hoggle got to his feet.  
  
  
"Y-Ya don't mind?" Hoggle turned his gaze to Jareth, who hesitated.  Sarah and the other girls walked past them and Sarah smiled at them brightly.   
  
  
"Of course not," Jareth replied slowly, staring at Sarah's retreating form.   
  
  
"Alright but we have to move it," said James, "I've got table manners up next and Miss Emerald is _hot_.. "    
  
  
Jareth rolled his eyes and the three unlikely friends made their way back to class.

 


	17. Lessons

"Why do you take table manners?" Hoggle asked James, as they entered the building.  
  
  
"It's one of my extra lessons," James replied, "Mother says I need to brush up on a few things."  
  
  
"Like what?" asked Hoggle.  
  
  
" _Chewing_ ," Jareth interrupted their conversation, "now come on, or _we'll_ be late." James smirked and went in a different direction than Jareth and Hoggle.  
  
  
"Don't you have extra lessons, too?" Hoggle inquired.  
  
  
"Not right now," Jareth walked alongside him slowly.  
  
  
"Which ones do you have?" Hoggle was curious.  
  
  
"Do you always ask so many questions?" Jareth became irked.  
  
  
"My grandmother says it's the best way to learn," Hoggle answered him with a short nod and they walked into the room.  
  
  
Hoggle seated himself near Jareth, who always chose a desk at the back of the room so the teacher was less likely to notice him. Mr. Wyrmfire began the lesson once everybody was settled into their seats, it was difficult for Hoggle to keep up because his skills were limited; having grown up too poor to attend school. But things had changed enough for his mother to be able to send him this year, he was determined not to let her down but the work made very little sense to him; despite his best efforts to understand. A lot of the students in his classes were annoyed with the way Hoggle would be constantly asking the teachers questions, as he struggled to grasp the concept of what was being taught. Somehow, things just wouldn't sink in.  
  
  
Jareth leaned over, noting Hoggle's distress.  
  
  
"Will you keep that noise down?" Jareth hissed, "I am trying to concentrate!"  
  
  
"Eh? What noise?" Hoggle looked back at him with a frown.  
  
  
"When you're all worried, you tap your fingers on the desk!" Jareth grumbled.  
  
  
"Do I?" Hoggle looked down at his hands, "I weren't aware of it."  
  
  
"Well now you are," Jareth told him firmly, "so quit doing it at once!"  
  
  
"Sorry," Hoggle mumbled, "I just can't seem to get this question."  Jareth looked at Hoggle's paper.  
  
  
"Of _course_ you wouldn't get it," Jareth mused. Hoggle pursed his wrinkled lips and frowned again.  
  
  
"Look," Jareth moved his chair closer so he could explain it better.  
  
  
Mr. Wyrmfire glanced up at the sound of talking but held his tongue when he noticed that Jareth appeared to be helping the young Dwarf teen to understand the work. Hoggle suddenly found that he understood, it was so simple that he felt very foolish for not figuring it out himself.  
  
  
"Thanks," Hoggle said in surprise, "I never woulda got that.. "  
  
  
Jareth returned his attention back to his own work, shaking his head lightly. These interactions were not going unnoticed, however. So that lunchtime, Hoggle found himself able to walk along without a single snide remark tossed his way. Nobody touched him, or teased him at all. He felt strange because had he accidentally turned himself invisible? No, because every so often someone said hello to him as they walked by. He was even invited to sit with a group of friends on the grounds, joining them for lunch and discussion about their music classes. Hoggle enjoyed music and he appreciated being among others without getting chased off but his thoughts soon returned to Jareth.  



	18. Girl Trouble

James was waiting for Jareth by their usual tree, when Ember approached him and he smiled at her pleasantly.  
  
  
"James," Ember greeted him, "can I talk to you for a minute?"   
  
  
"Of course you can, gorgeous," James grinned at her, his hands now upon her hips. Ember placed her hands lightly on James' shoulders and looked into his dazzlingly blue eyes.   
  
  
"That's sort of what I want to speak to you about," Ember said quietly. James looked puzzled.  
  
  
"You've lost me, luv," he searched her crimson colored eyes for answers.  
  
  
"I want to be with you," Ember told him shyly, smiling a little, "but you continue to kiss other girls.. and sometimes guys!"  James turned away slightly.   
  
  
"James I really like you," Ember touched his arm gently, "can't you see that? It hurts my feelings when I notice you kissing somebody else."   
  
  
"I can't help it, luv," James admitted, his head hung in shame and his gaze downcast. Ember wanted to talk to him some more, but Jareth was approaching now and he looked to be in quite the foul mood.  
  
  
"I'll see you later, okay?" Ember slowly walked away and James looked around as Jareth reached him.  
  
  
"What was she after?" Jareth questioned him.   
  
  
"Aw, you know," James shrugged.   
  
  
"Yes," Jareth eyed him warily, "unfortunately, I do."  
  
  
James chuckled quietly and they sat down in the shade, not saying anything for a while.


	19. Boys Keep Swinging

"So, how did your date with Miss Emerald go?" Jareth broke the silence.  
  
  
"She let me touch her leg," James answered with a smile.  Jareth looked at him.  
  
  
"She did?" he asked, lifting a brow.  
  
  
"Oh yeah," James sat up from leaning against the tree trunk, "I put my hand right on her thigh, like this.. "  He touched Jareth's thigh, lightly shifting it closer to his crotch.  
  
  
"And she didn't say a word," James grinned, but left his hand there.  
  
  
"James," Jareth pushed his hand gently aside, "she's two hundred years older than you."  
  
  
"Your point being?" James leaned back against the tree.  
  
  
"Doesn't that bother you?" Jareth questioned him.  
  
  
"No," James said calmly, "of course not."  Jareth sighed.  
  
  
"You know, someday you're going to have to settle down and just pick someone," Jareth told James, "you can't just go through life having sex with people willy-nilly."  
  
  
"Why not?" James looked at him with a slight frown, "it's fun!"  
  
  
"Because women are not toys to be played with for a while and then forgotten about when another one comes along!" Jareth scolded him. James picked up a small rock and threw it.  
  
  
"What else are they any good for?" he grumbled, but he didn't mean it really.  
  
  
"Is something bothering you?" Jareth asked him, concerned about his display of unusual behavior.  
  
  
"It's Ember," James revealed, "she's cross with me."  
  
  
"Because you kissed Claire right in front of her," Jareth told him.  
  
  
"Yeah, well.. " James threw another rock, "I kiss a lot of people, don't I?"  Jareth nodded.  
  
  
"She said I hurt her, Jareth," James continued, "that's the part that bothers me the most. You know me, I despise hurting people.. "  
  
  
"Yes," Jareth gazed out over the grounds, "it is one of your shortcomings as a Draconian."  It was well known that Draconians were a bloodthirsty, war driven people who lived purely for battle.  
  
  
"What can I do?" James lowered his eyes to stare at the grass.  
  
  
"You could do with some counseling," Jareth told him.  
  
  
James was silent for a while after that, bringing up what happened to him a few years ago was still too soon for him to talk openly about it. Jareth didn't mention it again, he was there when it happened and he knew that James simply wasn't ready to tell anyone yet. He hadn't seen it for himself, but James had come straight to him the moment he was able to flee and Jareth had spent hours and hours with the sobbing Draconian in the bathroom under the hot shower. Draconians never cried, so it wasn't something James had wanted his parents to catch him doing.  
  
  
"I like your outfit today," James spoke after a long while, "lots of shiny bits everywhere.. "   
  
  
"What, this old thing?" Jareth straightened his sleeves, "it's just something I threw on this morning."  
  
  
"Yeah, sure," James smirked, "how long did it take you to _just throw it on?_ "  
  
  
"An hour," Jareth said quietly.

 

"What, only an hour?" James teased him, "what happened to the shirt you wore yesterday? Couldn't you find a lip gloss to match or did it clash with your boots?"   
  
  
"James," Jareth warned him.  
  
  
"I was just admiring your sparkling lips," James said softly, leaning in closer, "you know I _love_ the taste of glitter.. "  
  
  
"Not happening," Jareth gave him a second warning. James backed off a little, sighing in frustration.  
  
  
"Why don't you go and talk to Ember?" suggested Jareth, "I'm sure she'll be happy to help you."  
  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," James slowly got to his feet, "I'll see you later then."  
  
  
Jareth watched him go and shifted uncomfortably, he simply wasn't in the mood just now. He had been thinking about his problem of being told what to do and it always put him in a bad temper that not even James' affection could calm.


	20. Kiss The Boys

Hoggle made his way up the gentle incline and eventually flopped down on the hill, out of breath and puffing.  
  
  
"You couldn't sit someplace lower?" Hoggle panted.   
  
  
Jareth glanced at him briefly, Hoggle smiled slightly at him and Jareth returned his gaze back to the grounds. Sarah bit back a smile as she watched them, she got up when James approached and walked up to where Jareth and Hoggle sat.   
  
  
"Hi Hogwart," Sarah greeted the Dwarf.  
  
  
"It's Headwart," Jareth said quietly, getting to his feet in the presence of a lady.  
  
  
" _Hoggle!_ " the Dwarf frowned. Jareth pursed his lips but Sarah laughed softly.  
  
  
"Sorry," she apologized, "I wasn't sure."   
  
  
"Eh, s'alright," Hoggle mumbled.   
  
  
"Hello Jareth," Sarah looked to the young Prince next.  
  
  
"Sarah," Jareth nodded politely.  
  
  
"So what are you two guys up to?" Sarah asked them, seating herself on the grass. Jareth slowly sat back down, but it was Hoggle who answered first.  
  
  
"Just sitting around," Hoggle said, still catching his breath.  
  
  
"I had no idea you two were friends," Sarah admitted with a fond smile at the unlikely pair.   
  
  
"We're not," Jareth said firmly.  
  
  
"Oh," Sarah felt her cheeks burning, "but I thought.. I mean I saw you talking."   
  
  
"Jareth's such a kidder," Hoggle chuckled uncertainly, "we _are_ friends, really."  Jareth looked at him sharply but Sarah had already smiled brightly again.  
  
  
"I think that is so wonderful," Sarah said cheerfully, "how very selfless of you, Jareth.. "   
  
  
She flushed hard as she kissed Jareth's cheek, then she got up and walked quickly back her to her friends. Hoggle laughed uncontrollably, his hands covering his mouth as he did so. Jareth was blushing profusely, not looking at the amused Dwarf at all. Some other boys nearby were chuckling as well, but Jareth ground his teeth, flicked his glaring gaze towards them and they quickly moved away.


	21. Only Human

Sarah rejoined Claire and Ember, but mostly Claire because Ember was busy making out with James in the grass.   
  
  
"Slut," Claire grumbled.   
  
  
"That's not nice to say about Ember," Sarah chided her quietly.  
  
  
"I _meant_ James," Claire stood up and stalked away from the group, leaving Sarah to sit and awkwardly avoid looking at the pair.   
  
  
She heard James utter a surprised moan and she couldn't help but glance over at him, but she really wished she hadn't! Ember was leaning down between his legs, James had one knee raised to block anyone from seeing what she was doing to him but it wasn't hard to guess from the deliberate bobbing of Ember's head. Sarah turned away and stood up, walking back to the hill and sitting down beside Jareth with flusher cheeks than the young Prince.  
  
  
"Back so soon?" Jareth tried to regain his composure.  Sarah nodded quickly, her cheeks burning brightly.  
  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Hoggle.   
  
  
"Nothing," Sarah said hurriedly, "I just.. I.. "   Jareth looked over at James and sighed heavily, shaking his head slightly.  
  
  
"Clearly failing at his discretion lessons," Jareth noted disdainfully.   
  
  
"Eh?" Hoggle looked over but didn't know what was happening, "why? What's he doing?"   
  
  
"Don't worry about it," Sarah reassured the Dwarf, "it's better you don't know." Hoggle huffed but asked no more about it.   
  
  
"Do you mind if I stay here?" Sarah asked Jareth.   
  
  
"Of course not," Jareth replied quietly. So she leaned back against the tree with him and sighed gently.  
  
  
"I can see why you sit here," Sarah closed her eyes, "it's perfect, not too hot and not too cold."  Jareth looked at her momentarily, then returned his gaze to the grounds.  
  
  
"Sarah," said Hoggle suddenly, "where do you live? Only, your clothes are kinda strange."  Jareth arched a brow at such a rude thing to say to a woman, but his curious glance back to Sarah confirmed Hoggle's point; they were indeed strange looking for this realm.   
  
  
"It is not unheard of for visitors of other realms to barter their clothes," Jareth told Hoggle, looking at the puzzled Dwarf smugly, "I expect Sarah has traded something for them."   
  
  
"Oh," Hoggle scratched his head, "so then, what are ya?"  Sarah looked confused at the question.   
  
  
"I beg your pardon?" she asked.   
  
  
"What _are_ ya?" Hoggle raised his voice, thinking she hadn't heard him the first time.  When she still looked unsure, Jareth spoke to her.  
  
  
"He wants to know your species, Sarah," Jareth explained, "he's simply too uncouth to ask it properly."  Hoggle folded his arms.   
  
  
"Oh," Sarah smiled a little, "I guess I'm just Human, nothing fancy.. "  Hoggle grew pale and looked away nervously.   
  
  
"Is something wrong?" Sarah questioned his reaction. She looked at Jareth, who was staring at her but then he averted his gaze so as not to appear impolite.   
  
  
"Just don't go tellin' too many people that," Hoggle got up and wandered away, shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
  
"What did I say?" Sarah asked, bewildered.


	22. A History Lesson

Hoggle stood a few paces away from the pair, looking around nervously. Jareth shifted a little closer to Sarah, looking her over with mild intrigue.  
  
  
"It is not often that someone from your world is found here anymore," Jareth explained, "the differences between fantasy and reality where you come from have become far too black and white now, there are far too few believers. So few, that access to your realm has become almost impossible, with rifts spread few and far between, existing only within the homes of those rare few who still believe in magic. There hasn't been one of your kind spotted around here for at least a hundred years or so.. "  
  
  
Sarah listened to him intently, she found his voice quite lovely and would be able to listen to him talk for hours and never tire of hearing it.  
  
  
"I don't understand what the big deal is," Sarah looked puzzled, "what's so special about being Human in this place?"   Jareth smiled at her, she found that she liked him a lot more when he did that.  
  
  
"Imagine a unicorn being discovered back home," Jareth tried to explain, "what would the fuss be like?"  Sarah blushed.  
  
  
"I'm hardly _that_ rare," she said softly.  
  
  
"Ah but you see?" Jareth touched her arm gently, "unicorns are not so rare here, there's actually quite a few of them. It's all perspective, Sarah and there are those who would like to have you for themselves."  
  
  
"Have me?" Sarah withdrew from his touch, which had at first been something that she was rather enjoying, "what do you mean?"  Jareth drew his hand away.  
  
  
"You would be put on display," he told her quietly, "people would have to pay to see you, that sort of thing." Sarah stared out at the others on the school grounds.  
  
  
"Just like a unicorn would be," she said softly. Hoggle ambled back over to them warily, sitting down and still looking around nervously.


	23. Where There Is Smoke

"You'd better stick close to me," Hoggle told Sarah, "I'll keep you safe."  Sarah smiled at him, while Jareth arched a brow.  
  
  
"Oh, _you'll_ keep her safe?" Jareth demanded, "how do you work _that_ one out?"   
  
  
"Well," Hoggle looked at him, "just lately everyone's been avoiding me. I think they're too afraid to come near me." He felt so confident and strong, there hadn't been any recent bullying towards him at all.  
  
  
"That's a really kind offer Hoggle," Sarah still smiled at him, "but I'll be alright, I can take care of myself."  Jareth found it laughable that Hoggle honestly believed anyone could be afraid of him, his _smell_ perhaps but not of the Dwarf himself. Jareth could not think of a less intimidating creature..   
  
  
"How are you going to do that?" Hoggle asked Sarah, "you're not capable of magic, you don't have a sword.. "   Sarah produced a lighter from her back pocket, she didn't smoke but her friends sometimes did and she often carried one around with her in case they needed a light.   
  
  
"What's that?" asked Jareth. Sarah gave it to him and he carefully turned it over in his hands, studying it with his eyes until she gently took it back from him. Sarah then flicked the lighter so that a small flame appeared and Jareth startled, scooting back from her a short way. Hoggle fell over backwards fearfully, not wanting to be burnt.  
  
  
"Fire," Jareth spoke softly, "but.. how?"  Sarah noted the distance Jareth had put between her and himself.   
  
  
"Like I said," she put the lighter away, "I can take care of myself."  Jareth became suddenly a lot more interested in her and Sarah couldn't help but notice this.   
  
  
"Have a nice trip?" asked James, as he approached and helped Hoggle back up onto his feet, "you forgot to send me a postcard.. "  Hoggle brushed himself off and quietly thanked James, still in shock over Sarah's magical device.  
  
  
"Did I see a flame over here?" James asked curiously.  
  
  
"Yeah," Sarah produced the lighter again and showed James the little flame.  
  
  
"Aw that's nothing," James grinned, "watch what I can do!"   
  
  
"James, no!" Jareth got up and grabbed his arm, distracting the Draconian.   
  
  
" _Jareth_ ," Sarah chided him quietly.   
  
  
"No, it's alright," James smiled cheekily, "I do get a little carried away sometimes, I don't want to set anything alight."   
  
  
"Alright," Sarah nodded, "but how do you make fire happen?"   
  
  
"Well, sometimes it happens when I sneeze," James replied, "but I can breathe it if I concentrate hard enough."   
  
  
"Wow," Sarah breathed, impressed, "so you're like.. a dragon or something?"  James laughed and nodded.  
  
  
"Close!" he replied amusedly, "I am Draconian."  
  
  
"Can you fly?" Sarah asked him.   
  
  
"Sure I can," James boasted, "wanna come for a ride?"  Jareth shot him an angry look but Sarah declined.  
  
  
"I'm not big on heights," she said bashfully.  
  
  
"Maybe some other time then," James left the offer open and Sarah nodded silently.   
  
  
"The bell's about to toll," Hoggle announced, starting to walk off towards the buildings again.   
  
  
"I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow," Sarah told the two young Princes.   
  
  
"Yeah, alright then, beautiful," James grinned at her and made her blush. Jareth hesitated as Sarah began to walk away, then he hurried to catch up with her.  
  
  
"Sarah," he walked beside her and she slowed down a little, "may I walk you home later?"  Sarah lowered her gaze and felt her cheeks burning hotly.   
  
  
"Sure," she didn't see the harm, "why not?"


	24. Flirting With Trouble

So that afternoon, Jareth walked with Sarah along the path that she had become familiar with now.  
  
  
"So what's it like?" Jareth asked her, "your world, I mean."  Sarah shrugged.  
  
  
"It's alright," she replied vaguely, "but you'll have to leave when my parents get home."  
  
  
"Why is that?" Jareth wondered, looking at her curiously.  
  
  
"My Dad would freak if he found a boy in my bedroom," Sarah blushed, "and you don't want to meet my Step Mother. She's a real dragon.. "   Jareth glanced at her and Sarah chuckled softly.  
  
  
"Well, not literally of course," she explained.  
  
  
"Right," Jareth still felt unnerved by the images in his mind of an actual dragon barging into the house, "of course.. "   Sarah slowed down and gestured to a gap between two large boulders.  
  
  
"Well, it's just through there," she revealed. Jareth looked over at the boulders, they didn't seem out of the ordinary.  
  
  
"Do you.. still want to come in?" Sarah asked him, walking towards the gap.  
  
  
Jareth walked after her but hesitated as she vanished through the rift, looking around himself before quickly following after her. The transition was seamless, he simply walked through the gap and suddenly he was standing in her front doorway.  
  
  
"Come in," Sarah invited him and Jareth stepped into the house, looking around while Sarah closed the door behind him.  
  
  
"I'm not sure what you're used to," Sarah spoke carefully, "but this is home for me."  She led him into the kitchen, where she made them both a drink. Jareth watched her silently while she went about the kitchen, staring down at the mug he was then offered.  
  
  
"It's just a hot chocolate," Sarah told him, taking a sip of hers while Jareth leaned over to smell the beverage curiously.  Sarah decided it would be wiser not to give him coffee, because she didn't know how his body would react to it. Jareth watched her take another sip, then he picked up the mug and tentatively tried some. His shoulders relaxed, it wasn't half bad.  
  
  
"You like it?" Sarah ventured.  
  
  
"It is very acceptable," Jareth replied, smiling lightly.  
  
  
"I can't believe you've never had hot chocolate before," Sarah mused, thinking he was so cute in that moment.  They slowly finished up their drinks and Sarah felt a little awkward, not really sure of what to do with him.  
  
  
"You're very quiet," Sarah prompted him.  
  
  
"I'm sorry," Jareth straightened up, "it's my first time.. "  Sarah smiled warmly at him, her heart suddenly fluttering at his admission.  
  
  
"There's nothing to be afraid of," she took him by the hand and he withdrew it with a start.  
  
  
"Is something wrong?" she asked him, puzzled by the look of disapproval upon Jareth's face. But Jareth simply was not accustomed to people just coming up to him and touching him at random, one simply did not touch a Prince without his permission first. It was not something he would often tolerate, but here in another realm he was especially jumpy.  
  
  
"Why don't we go upstairs?" Sarah suggested, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "my room is much more interesting than the kitchen."  She showed him the way up to her bedroom and Jareth let his gaze explore the little room. Sarah shut her door, in case someone came home and she needed to hide Jareth before anyone saw him.  
  
  
"This is where you sleep?" Jareth asked, looking at her bed.  
  
  
"Yeah," Sarah sat upon it and patted the space next to her, "it's probably nothing like your room, is it?"  
  
  
"No," Jareth shook his head, seating himself beside her, "this is much too small for my taste."  
  
  
"Well," Sarah looked at him and realized how very closely he had sat next to her, "it's not for you, it's for me."  Jareth looked right back at her, his eyes still amazed her and she felt drawn in by them.  
  
  
"Why don't you try it out?" Sarah gestured to the pillows, feeling suddenly flirty. Jareth wasn't sure, but he lay down and put his head onto the pillows. Sarah leaned over him, her hands on either side of him upon the bed.  
  
  
"So, what do you think?" she asked him.  Jareth gazed at her curiously, feeling her hair falling about his face.  
  
  
"The mattress is lumpy," he shifted slightly, "the pillow is too hard.. "  
  
  
"How's the view?" Sarah asked him quietly.  
  
  
She slowly leaned in and felt his hands come to rest on her hips as they began to make out, their eyes closing as the kiss deepened.


	25. A Second Rift

She didn't plan on this happening, but Sarah had no regrets about what she was doing and hoped that Jareth wouldn't get uptight about it. Her doubts were erased when he sighed softly into this kiss, pulling her down so that she lay beside him and they could kiss more comfortably.  
  
  
Slowly, they drew apart and gazed at one another sedately. Sarah felt her heart hammering in her chest, the lazy smile that now played upon his lips just took her breath away. Suddenly, the front door slammed shut and Sarah froze.   
  
  
"Sarah?" her Step Mother called up the stairs, "are you home?"  Jareth sat up as Sarah jumped off her bed, her eyes wide with panic.  
  
  
"Oh no!" Sarah ran her fingers through her hair, "what do we do?!"    
  
  
"Sarah?" her Step Mother called again.  
  
  
"Yeah, I'm home!" Sarah called back.    
  
  
Her bedroom door opened and Sarah thought she'd have a heart attack, but as her Step Mother glanced around and then looked at Sarah calmly; Sarah cast quickly to the bed. Jareth was not there, but where had he got to?    
  
  
"Are you alone up here?" asked her Step Mother, "I saw two mugs in the sink.. "    
  
  
"Oh, I was super thirsty," Sarah told her nervously.   
  
  
"Hm, alright," her Step Mother was convinced, then she left the room and shut the door. Sarah let out a long breath of air, turning around slowly.  
  
  
"Jareth?" she ventured, wondering if he was even still in her world at all.   
  
  
"That was close," came his voice from behind her and she spun around to find him just standing there, watching her amusedly.  
  
  
"How did you do that?" she gasped.   
  
  
"Magic," he smirked.  She smiled at him and put her arms around his neck, he leaned in, lightly put his hands on her waist and kissed her lips softly; making her heart beat faster again.  
  
  
"How are we going to get you out of here?" Sarah asked him, "the rift is downstairs."   
  
  
"There's another one in your window," Jareth told her, gesturing to Sarah's large bedroom window.   
  
  
"How can you tell?" she wondered as he approached it.   
  
  
"I can feel it," he spoke quietly, running his hand over the area, "it's much stronger here."  She walked over to stand beside him, but she couldn't see or feel anything different.  
  
  
"We're on the second floor of my house," Sarah worried, "won't you fall?"   
  
  
"Of course not," Jareth replied calmly, "James isn't the only one who can fly, you know."  Sarah's eyes grew wider.   
  
  
"You can fly?" she asked him.   
  
  
Jareth caressed her cheek with his fingertips as her Step Mother called for Sarah to come down and help fix dinner, she was captivated by his gesture of affection and did not hear the call.  
  
  
"Until tomorrow, Sarah," Jareth stepped up into her window and Sarah shielded her eyes as glitter suddenly swirled all around her, caught in a strong wind that was blowing everything everywhere. She lowered her hands, keeping one palm upturned as a single, white feather floated gently down into her hand. Sarah frowned at it curiously, then she spun around as her Step Mother called for her once more.  
  
  
"Coming!" she called back, setting the feather onto her pillow and hurrying downstairs.


	26. Inclusion

"Pegasus poop!" James smirked.  
  
  
"It's true!" Jareth argued.  
  
  
It was a new day and the two boys were waiting for their friends to arrive at school, Jareth was telling James about the strange things he'd seen in Sarah's house, but James wasn't having any of it.  
  
  
"Humans can't do magic!" James insisted.  
  
  
"Alright, fine," Jareth put his hands on his hips, "come with us this afternoon and see for yourself."  
  
  
"I will then!" James folded his arms, "wait, what?"  
  
  
"Too late," Jareth smirked now, "you already agreed." James sighed loudly, unhappy with the idea of going through to another world that some people believed didn't exist anymore.  
  
  
"Where're ya goin'?" Hoggle puffed towards them.  
  
  
"Sarah's house," James replied quietly, "after school."  
  
  
"Oh," Hoggle chuckled, sitting down to catch his breath, "have fun, heh heh heh.. "   Jareth looked down at the amused Dwarf.  
  
  
"Did I mention you're coming, too?" Jareth asked him.  
  
  
"Eh? What?" Hoggle frowned, "oh no I ain't!"  
  
  
"Of course you are," Jareth spoke firmly.  
  
  
"Why me?" demanded Hoggle, trembling slightly, "what'd I do?"  
  
  
"You're our friend, Hoggle," James explained, "and friends do everything together."   Hoggle fell silent, trying to let that sink in for a moment.  
  
  
"Hey guys!" Sarah smiled brightly and stood next to Jareth, "what's going on?"  
  
  
"Jareth has kindly invited us to your place this afternoon," James replied.  
  
  
"You did?" Sarah faced Jareth now, "Jareth we almost got caught!"  
  
  
"You never mentioned that," James worried.  
  
  
"Evasion was quite simple," Jareth reassured James, "but you have to try the um.. " Jareth looked at Sarah and she bit back a smile.  
  
  
"Hot chocolate?" she guessed.  
  
  
"Yes," Jareth's eyes brightened up, "that stuff."  
  
  
"Alright fine," James sighed again, "but just for a few minutes."  
  
  
Hoggle watched as they all sat down and felt a surge of emotion well tears up into his eyes, so he turned his face away because he didn't want anyone to notice. He had friends, actual _real_ living _friends!_ He'd never been invited over to anyone's house before, or spoken to as if he mattered or included in anything fun at all. He was quiet as the others, no - _his friends_ \- chatted together and at one point he was even asked what his opinion on something was. And when he gave it, they actually listened to what he had to say and validated his thoughts with further discussion involving his points.


	27. Reality

Ember and Claire were also within the group by that time but the tension was creeping in because they each wanted James to be with them. James sat close to Jareth, who had his arm around Sarah and she rested her head upon his shoulder contentedly as the group of friends continued talking. She wasn't overly familiar with the rules around here, but she felt as if she'd been here her entire life and found it so much more accepting a place than her world.  
  
  
All too soon, the bell tolled and everyone began to make their way to their classes; walking slow enough for Hoggle to be able to keep up comfortably. Jareth and Sarah walked closely together, hanging back a short distance because they wanted to be together just that little bit longer.  
  
  
"I wish it was this afternoon already," Sarah grumbled impatiently. Jareth smiled at her and her heart melted.  
  
  
"I'll see you later," she grinned at him, as they had reached the doors by now.  
  
  
Jareth watched her hurry inside and looked around, then went to his class and sat beside James.

 

*

 

Sarah was sitting next to Claire, who was still sore about James and Ember. Since when did James ever only settle for just one girl?  Her eyes narrowed at Sarah as she noticed the dreamy expression on the girl's face, so she leaned in and smirked.  
  
  
"Jareth doesn't really like you," Claire whispered, jealous of their relationship, "he's a _royal_ , he's just _slumming_ it! As soon as he's done with this place, he goes on to become King and you're just _another_ silly little girl who fell in love with his charms."  
  
  
Sarah glared angrily at her and Claire sat back with a soft chuckle, knowing the damage had been done. Sarah turned her gaze back to the front of the class, a light furrow upon her brow. She knew Claire was just being a bitch, but it did make a lot of sense and that really bothered her. Why would a King ever want to be with someone as plain as... Wait, but she wasn't plain in this realm, was she? In this world, she was a rarity, a wonder.. a prize..  Sarah's anger began to bubble up within her stomach, so she was just some sort of trophy to him?  
  
  
A wondrous rare creature to put on display at his side? Oh, but she was going to have some very strong words with Jareth during lunch break!


	28. Breaking The Law

That lunchtime, James sat under his favorite tree while Jareth stood waiting for Sarah to join them. Hoggle was also sitting nearby, but Ember, Claire and some other girls were sitting a short distance away so they could talk about boys without any of them listening in. Hoggle was telling James about his small, plastic bauble and invited him over sometime to come and see it and James agreed. Sarah eventually came into view and she walked past a large group of boys and headed directly for Jareth, still fuming about what she had realized earlier.  
  
  
She stormed right up to him and hesitated as he looked at her confusedly, he wasn't expecting it - she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek. Jareth stood stunned into silence, feeling the sting on his face a few seconds later. Sarah was so angry, she didn't even talk to him and she spun around to join Ember and the other girls. As she sat down, Sarah took note of their wide eyed and open mouthed expressions of shock.  
  
  
"Sarah!" Ember gasped, "what have you done?!"  
  
  
"What?" Sarah grumbled, "it was just a slap, no big deal."  
  
  
"No big deal??" Ember cried in disbelief, "Sarah, you've just publicly humiliated the Prince!" Sarah looked around at Jareth, who was still standing where she'd slapped him and his gaze was lowered as the boys nearby doubled over with uncontrollable fits of laughter at his expense.  
  
  
"Why doesn't he just tell them to shut up?" Sarah asked, her anger slowly fading as she watched him endure the torment of his peers.  
  
  
"He has lost face," Claire replied with an air of smugness about her, "you have shamed him, Sarah. There's going to be consequences now."  Sarah looked around sharply at her.  
  
  
"What sort of consequences?" she demanded, suddenly worried.  
  
  
"Well," Ember said softly, "likely his parents will punish him."  
  
  
"Punish him?" Sarah was getting confused, "whatever for?"  
  
  
"Look at him!" Claire said amusedly, "is this how a royal family would wish their son to be treated?" Sarah reluctantly looked back at Jareth again, the boys were jeering at him boldly now and she got the impression that they would soon be throwing things at him if they weren't stopped.  
  
  
"So he gets grounded," Sarah said uncertainly, "so what?"  
  
  
"Grounded?" Claire looked puzzled, "no. He will get lashes for sure."  Sarah shot her a shocked look.  
  
  
"Lashes?" she repeated, "as in, _whip_ lashes?" Claire nodded.  
  
  
"But he is a Prince," Ember added, "so he won't get more than at least ten."  
  
  
"And if he tells on you," Claire spoke again, smirking, "you will be clapped in irons and thrown into the dungeon. Then you will be tied to a stake and the villagers will throw rocks at you until you are dead."  Sarah started to shake, visibly.  
  
  
"This place is not how I imagined it to be," she said softly, "it's _barbaric_ and _senseless!_ Why? It was _just a slap!_ "  
  
  
"Rules are rules, Sarah," Claire lifted her chin, "surely you know the law by now, you seem so smart."  Sarah swallowed a lump in her throat, she didn't know the law here at all.  
  
  
"How can I fix this?" she asked quietly, looking to Ember for information but the obsidian beauty just lowered her gaze in silence. Sarah looked around as she heard James losing his temper at the taunting boys, they had to leave because the Draconian was threatening to set them on fire if they didn't. Sarah got up.  
  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Claire.  
  
  
"To talk to Jareth," Sarah answered her, "there's got to be a way that I can make this better."  
  
  
"There isn't!" Claire called after her, "you'll only make it worse!"  But Sarah continued walking back towards Jareth, who had turned to James for solace and was on the other side of the tree out of sight.


	29. Too Late For Apologies

"I could threaten them all," James rubbed Jareth's back comfortingly, "tell them if they mention this to their folks I'll roast them alive.. "  
  
  
"You'll only get into trouble too," Jareth cautioned him, "you'll be lucky if they don't get you for threatening people on school grounds."  
  
  
"Jareth?" Sarah came around the tree and he looked up at her, she felt suddenly terribly guilty at the hint of fear in his eyes that vanished within seconds of realizing who she was.  
  
  
"Maybe you should go," James warned her, his usually bright and cheeky expression was now replaced with one of anxiety and helplessness.  
  
  
"What have I done to you, Sarah?" Jareth asked her.  
  
  
"You're using me," Sarah explained, "and I know now. I shouldn't have hit you but.. I was so angry and.. "  Jareth looked confused again.  
  
  
"Using you?" he tried to understand, "Sarah I don't fall in love easily. It happened so quickly with you.. I almost doubted myself until we kissed. I felt something I have never felt before and I knew it was real."  
  
  
James looked surprised, he had no idea they'd kissed or that Jareth had fallen in love with someone at last. It just made the situation all the more tragic. Sarah felt shocked to the core by his confession and she felt a surge of hatred towards Claire for planting doubt into her mind.  
  
  
"Is there nothing I can do?" Sarah asked softly, her body trembling as she tried not to cry.  Jareth was drawn closer to James as the Draconian hugged him tightly and Jareth buried his face in to James' embrace.  
  
  
"You've done enough," James spoke gently, but firmly and Sarah was sent away in tears - Devastated and mortified beyond belief at the trouble she had caused for them both.


	30. Regrets And Consequences

Sarah did not see Jareth or James on her way home from school that afternoon, but she did see Hoggle and easily caught up with him.  
  
  
"Hoggle, hey.. " Sarah greeted him.  
  
  
"Whadda _you_ want?" Hoggle grumbled, unimpressed with her behavior earlier.  
  
  
"You're upset with me, too?" Sarah asked him.  Hoggle turned and stopped right in front of her.  
  
  
"Of course I am!" Hoggle raised his voice, "I finally had some friends and now you've just gone and ruined the whole thing!"  
  
  
"What?!" Sarah demanded, "how did I ruin anything for _you?_ "  
  
  
"Meh!" Hoggle turned away from her and kept walking angrily.  
  
  
Sarah walked slowly over to the twin boulders and leaned against one of them with a sigh, she felt like such a fool; playing right into Claire's hands like that. She shuddered at what tomorrow would bring, but there was no use in skipping school because Jareth knew how and where to find her if he did decide to accuse her and give them her name. She went home and walked in the front door, her Dad was already home and so was her Step Mother.  
  
  
"Hey honey!" her Dad greeted her, "want a hot chocolate? You look like you could use some cheering up."  Sarah shook her head and ran upstairs, threw herself onto her bed and sobbed hard into her pillows. She sat up as something soft tickled her cheek, picking up the small, white feather that she'd left there last night.  
  
  
"Jareth," she whispered softly, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I am _so_ sorry!"


	31. Jareth's Punishment

James walked Jareth home and it was evident that Jareth's parents were already aware of the incident that had occurred at school earlier that day. They stood waiting for him just outside, but they let James stay close to their son because to be honest; they feared the Draconian's temper. James was almost never angry to the point of hurting people, but it was that sort of pent up energy that made him all the more dangerous when he finally did go off. A short time later, everything was ready.  Jareth's hands were tied over his head to prevent him from retaliating, his shirt was removed and only his parents and James were present to witness his punishment be carried out.  
  
  
Jareth looked over at James as the whip was drawn back, their gazes locked together and would not break until it was all over; such was the respect and strength of friendship between them.  
  
  
"Argh!" Jareth grunted at the first stinging lash upon his bare back. James gulped and his bottom lip trembled, but he did not turn away for it would be a sign of disrespect.  
  
  
"Fuck!" Jareth cried out, as the second lash drew blood from his soft flesh. James made fists with his hands, his eyes still locked firmly with Jareth's and his body shaking lightly with anger and frustration. Jareth sucked in a sharp hiss through his clenched teeth at the third strike of the whip, his body tensing up with pain and the shock of it all.  
  
  
"You do understand why we are doing this, don't you James?" his mother asked the quaking Draconian.  
  
  
"Because you're easily led conformists?" James seethed his reply, his gaze never leaving Jareth's.  
  
  
" _Ah!_ " Jareth felt the fourth lash rip open the previous wound a little more and then the hot, sticky feeling of blood trailing down his back.  
  
  
"He has shamed us by interacting with _peasant_ women," Jareth's father told James.  
  
  
"He's your _son!_ " James raised his voice, anger bubbling up within his chest that threatened to explode from his throat as fireballs, so he clenched his teeth shut and tried to keep his mouth closed.  
  
  
The fifth lash had Jareth's knees buckling and James wanted to stop it right there, but when he took a step forwards; Jareth gave him a warning shake of his head and James obediently stepped back again. Jareth kept his chin lifted during the entire session, James felt the wet tears as they streaked down his flushed cheeks. James felt so hot with rage, he didn't know for certain if he could just stand there for too much longer. When Jareth was steady on his feet again, the sixth lash was brutally delivered and his knees buckled once more. The lasher was wearing a mask so as not to be recognized by James, for quite obvious reasons. Jareth was breathing heavily now, his body unaccustomed to such torture because his life was that of a Prince and thus he had never felt the sting of a whip before this day.  
  
  
"You could stop this!" James' voice shook as he implored the King and Queen, his gaze still locked with Jareth's.  
  
  
It took Jareth slightly longer to get his legs steady again, though they were visibly shaking by this time and the seventh lash struck the open wound to gash it open. Jareth uttered a low groan, crying out again at the eighth lash but still not lowering his head in defeat. James ran his fingers through his hair, gripping his head tightly in pure frustration; his hot tears would have scalded anyone else but his Draconic skin was heat resistant. Lash nine had Jareth's knees buckled once more, but he wasn't getting up this time. His eyes half closed, but still his chin remained lifted and his gaze never left James' eyes. The last lash was delivered, James instantly ran to Jareth as he was untied.


	32. Impending Repercussions

Jareth collapsed into James' arms, barely conscious as the young Draconian sank to the floor; holding his friend close to his body protectively. Jareth's parents approached him carefully as the lasher was sent away, they stood nearby but not too close.  
  
  
"Are you both satisfied now?" James looked at them with pure hate burning behind his eyes.  
  
  
"James, what would he have learned had we stopped it halfway through?" asked the Queen. James helped the weakened young Prince to his feet, letting Jareth lean heavily on him.  
  
  
"Oh, I don't know," James looked thoughtful for a moment, "how about.. _compassion?_ "  The King and Queen glanced at each other, it did not sit well with them to think that a Draconian had more compassion than they.  
  
  
"You will remember your place, James," warned the King.  James glared at them.  
  
  
"You will both rue this day," he growled, "but it will not be because of me. You have done this yourselves. Nothing I could ever do would be as bad as losing your own son. Your _only_ child.. "   
  
  
"Enough!" warned the King, "Jareth, you are to have no further contact with peasant females, is that clear?"  Jareth's head was lowered, he wasn't strong enough to hold it up any longer.  
  
  
"Yes, father," Jareth's barely audible reply was laced with contempt.  
  
  
"And when you have come of age, we shall be choosing a suitable young Princess for you to marry," the Queen added, "is that understood?"  
  
  
"Yes, mother," Jareth's response was once again laced with a vicious contempt for them both.  
  
  
"Will you name her now?" demanded the Queen.  Jareth sighed heavily, what difference would that make?  
  
  
"Suit yourself," the Queen spoke quietly, dismissing them.  
  
  
James slowly took Jareth up to his bedroom, where Jareth lay on his stomach upon his bed. James leaned down, smothering Jareth's face with kisses. Jareth closed his eyes, accepting the pleasantry that was so contrast to the searing pain he was in.  
  
  
"I can heal the wound," James whispered into Jareth's ear, "but it won't feel good, I'm afraid."  
  
  
"Do it," Jareth said quietly and James nodded.  
  
  
Leaning down over Jareth's back, James very carefully breathed a controlled flame over the gash. Jareth's body tensed up, he gripped the sheets and bit down onto the pillow as a scream of pain escaped him. Then, he passed out and James was able to finish healing the wound and rub a soothing salve into it while Jareth slept. He would have a scar there for a while, but it would eventually fade to almost invisible within a year or so. The main thing was, the heat would have killed off any germs and ensured that infection would not pose a threat to Jareth's life. It would be tender for a few days, but at least it was over and done with. James was mainly worried about how Jareth would react once he came to his senses, he was already contemplating leaving home to become King out of sheer impatience but now?  
  
  
Now he had a much better reason to get the hell out of this place..


	33. Take Away My Pain

James stayed with Jareth all night, curling up next to him to make sure he did not roll over onto his back in his sleep. By the time morning came around, Jareth's exhausted body had recovered enough for him to be able to function somewhat normally again. His eyes flickered open slowly, waking up next to James was not an uncommon occurrence so he got up without question and sat on the edge of his bed for a few moments. Then he slowly walked over to his vanity and half turned his body to try and see the extent of his injuries in the mirror. James had done a neat and tidy job on it, to which Jareth was extremely grateful.  
  
  
He felt James' arms slip around his middle from behind and he relaxed into the comforting embrace, each of them taking a moment to re-establish their bond. A physician was sent up to examine Jareth, but James met him at the bedroom door and refused to let him in. Jareth looked around as James returned to him with some pills, but Jareth set the sedatives down onto the vanity and refused to take them.  
  
  
"Doesn't it hurt?" James asked him.  
  
  
"It does," Jareth said quietly.  
  
  
"So take the pills," James told him, picking them up and handing them back to Jareth, "please.. "  Jareth relented and put the pills into his mouth, washing them down with a glass of water. He walked over to the window as the sun began to make it's way into the sky, then he closed the shutters and locked his bedroom door.  
  
  
"Aren't you going today?" asked James. Jareth slowly shook his head, no.  
  
  
"I'm not quite up to it yet," Jareth responded quietly, "can we talk about anything else?"  James was silent for a moment, then he relaxed and smiled slightly.  
  
  
"Have you ever masturbated?" James asked suddenly.  Jareth arched a brow, feeling light headed now because of the sedatives.  
  
  
"Must it always be sex with you?" Jareth asked him with a hint of annoyance in his tone.  
  
  
"Well you said _anything_ ," James insisted.  
  
  
"I guess I asked for that," Jareth muttered, then he sighed heavily, "I have thought about it.. many times but no.. I haven't yet."  James let his smile grow wider.  
  
  
"Wow," he was amazed, "Jareth, orgasms are _fun_.. You're _missing out_.. "  
  
  
"I suppose I am," Jareth shrugged, for it was neither here nor there as far as he was concerned.  
  
  
"Are you okay?" James noticed his friend's hazy expression.  
  
  
"What's it like?" Jareth asked back, approaching James slowly.  
  
  
"Uhm.. Well.. " James swallowed dryly and blushed.  
  
  
"What do you think about," Jareth wondered softly, trailing his fingertips along James' jawbone, "when you touch yourself?"  
  
  
James was far too turned on to be able to respond coherently, all he could do was utter a quiet hum of arousal in response. His eyes closed as Jareth began to kiss his neck, trying his hardest to think of something else but failing miserably. Jareth leaned in to James' ear, softly moaned and James lost all resolve; turning to forcefully kiss Jareth hard on the mouth. Jareth drew back from him and laughed quietly, a darkness within his half closed eyes that James had never seen before.  
  
  
" _James_ ," Jareth spoke his name in a sexy drawl, holding the Draconian's gaze masterfully. James couldn't look away, he stepped closer to Jareth and instantly felt those soft fingertips upon his face again. James grasped Jareth's wrist, took him over to the bed and thrust him down onto it..


	34. News Travels Fast

Sarah had woken early this morning and hurried off to school, keen to see Jareth and hopefully make it up to him somehow. She didn't know what she could do, but she had to try. When she arrived, she went straight to the tree on the hill but he was not there; neither was James. Claire soon walked over to her, but Sarah was not in the mood for any of her games.  
  
  
"If you're looking for Jareth he isn't here," Claire spoke first.   
  
  
"Oh," Sarah felt disappointed, "well, where is he?"  
  
  
"At home, most probably," Claire shrugged, "licking his wounds."    
  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Sarah.  
  
  
"We told you," Claire reminded her smugly, "word is, he could _barely walk_ by the time it was all over."  Sarah felt terrible all over again.   
  
  
"So then, why are you still here?" Claire asked her, "he must really love you for real, since he never told them your name.. Oh well, my mistake.. You know, if he had just told them, he would only have got five lashes. How rotten you must feel, huh?"  Claire giggled and sauntered away, leaving Sarah to sit down; feeling like a piece of shit.


	35. Thicker Than Blood

James reclined against the pillows of the bed, his strong arms around Jareth as the other boy curled up beside him with his head on James' chest.   
  
  
"Jareth," James said quietly.   
  
  
"Hm?" Jareth closed his eyes.   
  
  
"You can't wear white on your wedding day now," James teased him.  Jareth didn't answer.  
  
  
"Jareth?" James looked down at him, "Jareth.. ?"   
  
  
"Who better to give it to?" Jareth said slowly and fell asleep moments later.  
  
  
James got out of the bed and pulled the covers over the sedated Jareth, leaning down to softly kiss his forehead. James then got dressed, thinking silently about what Jareth had just said to him. All this time, Jareth had been secretly saving himself for the right woman but today he had given James such a gift that he could not repay or give back. Taking someone's virginity was a big deal in the Underground, it had to be freely given with full consent as well as willingly taken by the partner. James worried that the drugs had affected Jareth's decision, but he would have to wait and see what Jareth said when the sedatives wore off. There came a sudden knock at the door, so James unlocked it and pulled it open.  
  
  
"How is he?" Jareth's mother asked quietly, standing there in the hallway.   
  
  
"He's sleeping," James replied without his usual cheek, "the Physician gave him a sedative to help him cope with the pain you inflicted on him." The Queen's eyes glittered with unfallen tears, but James felt no sympathy towards her.   
  
  
"He is such a sweet boy, really," she said softly, "he will learn from this, you'll see."  James doubted that Jareth would learn anything but contempt for her at this point.  
  
  
"I want to thank you James," she spoke again, looking him in the eyes, "you've always been there for him."   
  
  
"And I always will be," James told her firmly, "all he ever needs to do is call my name and I will never let him down."  James lifted his chin and scowled at her.  
  
  
"Unlike _some_ ," he added, closing the door and locking it again.  
  
  
He knew she could just get into the bedroom in the blink of an eye if she chose to but the Queen simply walked away and retired to her Chambers to cry quietly where nobody could see or hear her. James felt miserable, he hated being angry and all fired up but he just couldn't help it. He sat down beside the bed, looking at Jareth as he slept peacefully.  
  
  
"I will follow you to the end of the universe," James vowed, stroking his fingers through Jareth's fluffy hair and smiling sadly at him. James believed the punishment was overtly severe for something so minor, especially since - up until now - Jareth was genuinely a very nice, very charming boy. James was drawn to him from the first moment they met as toddlers and they had been fast friends ever since. 


	36. He Never Told

Sarah went out to break for lunch and slowly passed the tree on the hill, finding it void of Jareth's presence still. She sat down nearby and felt so alone, until she was eventually joined by Ember and Micah, one of Ember's friends.  
  
  
"Hi Sarah," Ember greeted her, "did you hear about Jareth?"  Sarah nodded.   
  
  
"I heard," Sarah replied quietly, "it's _all_ my fault."   
  
  
"Well he _did_ break the law," Micah spoke up, "even if _you_ weren't aware of it, Jareth should have known better. Princes _don't_ hang out with commoners, it's that simple."   
  
  
"That's ridiculous!" Sarah started to get riled up, "if he can't associate with common people, why send him to school in the first place?"   
  
  
"Hey," Ember looked at her sharply, "not everyone here is _common_."  
  
  
"I'm sorry," Sarah apologized, wishing she could tell them that she wasn't common either.  
  
  
Jareth would easily have avoided the punishment, had he told them about Sarah's origins. She was left baffled as to why he hadn't mentioned her at all, could love really be the driving force behind Jareth's silence on the subject?  It made her heart soar and yet shatter all at once, to think that he'd fallen in love with her and she had believed the likes of Claire and betrayed his trust. Micah, who was a pale girl with auburn hair, green eyes and transparent wings, put her hand gently on Sarah's shoulder.  
  
  
"Everyone's so angry with me," Sarah said quietly, her eyes downcast, "even Hoggle won't talk to me anymore."    
  
  
"They'll come around," said Micah, "it'll all blow over in a few days, just you watch." Perhaps it might, but Sarah couldn't help worrying about Jareth and if he would ever forgive her.


	37. Love Knows No Bounds

When Jareth next opened his eyes, he felt much less hazy and the pain was bearable. He sat up slowly and looked over at James, who was staring at the floor and deep in thought.  
  
  
"Why the long snout?" Jareth smirked at him. James startled and sat up straighter, turning to look at Jareth and feeling relieved that he seemed to be his old self again.   
  
  
"If it isn't Sleeping Beauty," James teased him right back.   
  
  
"Why am I naked, James?" Jareth asked him firmly.   
  
  
"You really _were_ away with the pixies then?" James stopped smiling.   
  
  
"Answer the question," Jareth prompted him.   
  
  
"Well," James shifted uncertainly, "you.. um.. "  Jareth stared at him as he recounted the events of earlier that day and as James talked, the memories began to seep back into Jareth's mind.   
  
  
"Alright," Jareth interrupted him, "I remember now.. "  James got up and walked over to him, sitting on the edge of his bed.  
  
  
"Are you pissed off?" James asked softly.   
  
  
"No," Jareth replied, getting out of bed and wandering over to his closet, "why should I be?"    
  
  
"Because of what we did," James furrowed his brow lightly, "you didn't know what you were doing."   
  
  
"I always know what I am doing, James," Jareth reassured him, "the truth is, I'd do it all over again."  He dressed himself and turned back to the stunned Draconian, offering him a light grin.  
  
  
"I love you, James," Jareth told him, "who else would it have been but you?"  James blushed and stood up, stretching his wings.   
  
  
"So how was I?" James asked cheekily.  Jareth walked over to him and opened the shutters, gazing out over the Kingdom below.   
  
  
"I think I'm ready to go back tomorrow," Jareth said quietly.   
  
  
"Are you sure?" asked James.   
  
  
"Yes," Jareth replied, "the sooner I face what has happened, the faster this will all just go away."  James didn't say anything, he would prefer it if Jareth just stayed home for a few more days but once Jareth had his mind set on something; it was difficult to shift him.  
  
  
"What of Sarah?" James finally spoke again. Jareth was silent for a moment, thoughts running through his mind of many different ways he could approach the situation.  
  
  
"I can't help it, James," he finally responded, "I need to see her again."   
  
  
"But your parents have forbidden it," James reminded him.   
  
  
"My parents won't find out," Jareth bit back, "I have to know if my feelings are real, can you understand?"  James nodded.   
  
  
"I understand," James replied, "but I cannot watch that again, Jareth."   
  
  
"You won't have to," Jareth told him, turning to face James now, "once I have figured out if Sarah is the one for me, I'm leaving."   
  
  
"Leaving?" James looked surprised, "but where will you go?"    
  
  
"Anywhere but here," Jareth answered him, "someplace I can call my own."   
  
  
"Oh, I know the perfect place," James suddenly thought, "it's on the direct opposite side of my home, you'll be miles from here but still close to us."   
  
  
"Alright," Jareth agreed, "then it's settled. Now I just have to talk to Sarah."  James looked at him uncertainly, but wouldn't ever abandon his friend.  
  
  
"It's risky," James cautioned him.  
  
  
"Yes," Jareth replied firmly, gazing out of the window again, "but considering that my parents can just pop in here at any given moment, without warning, I don't think _risky_ is a valid concern of _yours_."  
  
  
James blushed again, averting his gaze but grinning cheekily. Jareth returned his gaze to the Draconian and smiled at him fondly, but his heart was racing. Tomorrow was going to be very nerve wracking for him, he just hoped that Sarah was still around and that she would let him explain to her how he felt.


	38. All That Glitters

That evening, Jareth was alone in his bedroom.  
  
  
"Jareth, please come down for dinner," his mother called to him through the door, "please, Jareth. You need to eat.. "  
  
  
Jareth stood up and walked over to the bed, climbed in and turned away from it all. His eyes closed and he drifted into a fitful sleep, his mind filled with pain and anxiety. Oh what he would not give for another sedative..  Sometime during the small hours of the morning, when Jareth was thrashing against an unseen attacker in the dark, a pair of strong arms embraced his exhausted body and he calmed back into a restful slumber.  
  
  
**  
  
  
He awoke later than usual, finally feeling energetic enough to face the day head on. Jareth shifted out of James' grip and walked over to his closet, a new outfit should help to set his mood. James opened his eyes and half sat up to watch him, yawning and rubbing his face.  
  
  
"Morning already?" James grumbled, "wear something sparkly.. "   
  
  
Jareth paid him no attention. James was Draconian, which loosely translated to Dragon and Dragons were well known for their love of all things shiny, glittery and sparkly. Such as treasure.. So it was a fair assumption that Draconians would also be drawn in by shiny things, which could explain the fascination James had with Jareth's glittery lip gloss and sparkling, often sequined clothing. James had even called Jareth 'treasure' once or twice, it hadn't made a great deal of sense at the time but Jareth's current trail of thought now made the connection.  
  
  
"Why don't _you_ wear something sparkly?" Jareth picked out one of James' favorite outfits that he liked to see Jareth wearing.  
  
  
"Because I live with Dragons," James yawned again and stretched his wings, "I love attention, Jareth but that'd just be _asking_ for trouble back home."  
  
  
"I suppose so," Jareth's theory was confirmed, "so you'll just be wearing .. ?"   
  
  
"Anything black," James got out of bed now, "the darker the better."  
  
  
Jareth smirked, for someone who adored shiny things, it must have just about killed James to not be able to wear anything brightly colored for fear of being 'groupied' by full sized Dragons with the same fetish. For this one simple reason alone, the Draconian Kingdom was by far the richest Kingdom anywhere and James was next in line to rule it all. Jareth supposed it was just as well that James did not wear shiny things, or he'd never be able to pry James away from any reflective surfaces; such as a mirror, once James had seen himself!


	39. We Need To Talk

Sarah was walking along the path to school, her eyes downcast and her heart heavy with regret. Perhaps she should have studied the law, or at least asked someone what was permissible here. She had been told that Jareth was a royal, but she had just talked to him as if he were like her. She entered the school grounds and headed straight for the tree on the hill, as it had become her spot now because nobody wanted anything to do with her anymore. She was halfway there, when she glanced up and stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
  
James was there, she could see his majestic wings from here and he had them open so if anyone else was up there with him; she couldn't see them. Sarah slowly continued approaching the small hill, her hands trembling and her mouth suddenly very dry.  
  
  
*  
  
  
"Wider," Jareth instructed James. They were on the hill at school, under their favorite tree and James was trying to open his wings as wide as they'd go. Jareth didn't want anyone bothering him with questions, or staring at him.  
  
  
"That's as wide as they get," James curled his wings slightly towards Jareth, as if to encompass him and Jareth stepped closer to the Draconian for that extra sense of protection and comfort.  
  
  
"James?" Sarah's voice came from behind the suddenly startled Draconian. He turned his head to look at her, not impressed to see her at all.  
  
  
"James, is Jareth with you?" Sarah asked, trying to see past his impressive wingspan.  
  
  
"He might be," James replied coldly, "why do you want to know?"  
  
  
"I want to apologize," Sarah replied, "I feel terrible!"  Jareth reached out and touched James' wing, encouraging him to draw it back a short way. James reluctantly obeyed and Sarah was able to see Jareth now.  
  
  
"Come here," Jareth beckoned her over by holding out his hand and Sarah instantly accepted it into her own. Jareth drew her in and hugged her, Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around him and never wanted to let him go. James blocked them from view with his wings, too afraid to let anyone see them together.  
  
  
"Jareth, I'm so sorry!" Sarah felt the tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
  
"Shh," Jareth calmed her, "you weren't to know."  Sarah drew back, looking at him with shining eyes and Jareth touched her cheek as a single tear slid down it.  
  
  
"We need to talk," Jareth told Sarah, "somewhere safe."  Sarah thought for a moment, then it dawned on her.  
  
  
"Jareth my parents aren't going to be home all weekend," Sarah informed him, "they've already gone by now.. "  
  
  
"Perfect," Jareth agreed, "James and myself will meet you there after school."  
  
  
" _We_ will?" asked James. Jareth ignored the passive protest and leaned down to kiss Sarah, she closed her eyes and hugged him tighter as their lips met softly.  James was getting increasingly edgy, if someone found out..   
  
  
Suddenly, the bell tolled and it was time to go inside and begin the day's lessons. Sarah slowly pulled away from Jareth, comforted by the knowledge that they would be spending the entire weekend together and so she felt content to leave him for now. James looked at Jareth once she had gone, his expression anxious.  
  
  
"Better take care," James warned him, "and stay away from her for the rest of the day."  
  
  
"I know," Jareth led him towards the buildings, "let's just get through it."


	40. Diversion

As expected, the room fell eerily silent when Jareth walked into it and took his usual seat at the back. James dared anyone with his subtle glare to say a single word, seating himself next to Jareth. Hoggle was certainly surprised to see them both here today, but felt encouraged that - out of all the available seats - Jareth had chosen the one right beside him.  
  
  
"Welcome back," Hoggle whispered quietly. Jareth turned to look at the Dwarf and offered him a half hearted smile, but Hoggle noticed something a little different about Jareth's gaze. It seemed somewhat darker than before, but then Hoggle hadn't seen him for a couple of days now so maybe he was just being silly..  
  
  
The lesson began once the teacher arrived, his attention briefly upon Jareth as he entered the classroom but discreetly enough not to be noticed.  
  
  
"Alright," Mr. Wyrmfire spoke loudly, so that all eyes were focused upon him, "who can tell me something about the sun?"  
  
  
"Oh, it's really shiny," said James suddenly. The class started to laugh and Mr. Wyrmfire smiled at the Draconian.  
  
  
"Well, yes James, it is very bright," Wyrmfire replied, "but it is also very hot."  
  
  
"So, a bit like me then?" James teased with a cheeky grin, his eyes almost glowing with mischief. The class laughed again and the tension in the room just melted away. Drawing attention to himself was something James was quite good at and he used it now to keep Jareth out of the spotlight.  
  
  
"Indeed," Wyrmfire mused, looking at James curiously but the behavior was not out of the ordinary for the cheeky Draconian Prince, so he didn't think anything more about it.  The lesson went on, but as fascinating as the solar system was; Jareth simply could not focus. His mind was completely elsewhere, his upper back throbbed with pain and nothing was sinking in; no matter how hard he tried to listen.


	41. I'm Fine

One more class before lunchtime, James was sticking close to Jareth all day but now he had to go and take his table manners lesson.  
  
  
"I'll see you in a little while," Jareth gave him a gentle shove, "go on, I'm not an invalid."   James pursed his lips but slowly left for his class and Jareth made his way to his next lesson, followed closely by Hoggle.   
  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" Hoggle looked up at Jareth.  
  
  
"I am perfectly fine," Jareth replied shortly, as they sat together at the back of the room.   
  
  
But the truth was, he felt dizzy at times and sick to his stomach but he kept his head held high and his sights set upon this afternoon. He tried hard to concentrate, but the pain was getting stronger and he started to have doubts about coming to school this morning. At the end of the lesson, the classroom cleared out for lunch break but Hoggle noticed Jareth hadn't got up out of his seat yet and even the teacher had gone by now. He stood there, looking at Jareth anxiously.  
  
  
"You comin'?" Hoggle ventured after a while.  Jareth blinked slowly and got to his feet, then his knees buckled and everything went dark. Hoggle instinctively held up his hands when Jareth suddenly collapsed, somehow managing to prevent the young Prince from hitting his head.  
  
  
"Hoggle," James stuck his head into the classroom, "have you seen Jareth?"   
  
  
"Over here," Hoggle gestured to his feet and James entered the room, looking down at the unconscious future King.  
  
  
"I knew it was too soon," James leaned down and gathered Jareth up into his arms, "stubborn as they come.. "   James got outside and looked at Hoggle, who had followed him and looked worried.  
  
  
"Thanks for being there," James said approvingly, "you're a true friend, Hoggle. Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."  Hoggle scuffed his foot and ducked his head.  
  
  
"Aw," he got all embarrassed, then he looked imploringly at James, "can't I come with you?"  James knelt down.  
  
  
"Come on then," he agreed, "climb onto my back and hold on."   
  
  
Hoggle did as he was told and James pushed off from the ground, he spread his wings and flew out of the school grounds; towards a shady area just a short distance away. Once he landed, Hoggle slid down and James lay Jareth down into the grass on his side.  
  
  
"What happened?" James asked.   
  
  
"I dunno," Hoggle shrugged, "he just dropped."   
  
  
"Alright," James knelt down beside his friend, "it's gotta be the pain, then."  Hoggle sat down, worry creasing his brow.  
  
  
"Is there anything you can do?" Hoggle asked.  
  
  
"Yeah," James stood back up, "but I'll need you to watch him while I do it."   
  
  
"Of course," Hoggle nodded, "you can count on me."   
  
  
"Thought as much," James winked at him and Hoggle found himself blushing, he'd never been flirted with before in his _entire life_. James smirked and left, flying off and leaving Hoggle there to guard Jareth.  
  
  
A few minutes went by and Hoggle looked up when he heard a twig snap, startled to see someone approaching him.  
  
  
"Who goes there?" Hoggle stood up, squinting in the bright sunlight.   
  
  
"It is I, Didymus!" came the enthusiastic response, "and my loyal friend, Ambrosias! What are you doing out of school?"   
  
  
"I could ask you two the same thing!" Hoggle grumbled back.  Didymus looked down at Jareth, his expression turning curious.  
  
  
"Need a guard, do you?" Didymus puffed out his chest, "I shall fight for my Prince until I draw my last breath!" Hoggle rolled his eyes.  
  
  
"He can't hear you," Hoggle informed the energetic youth, "he's out cold."   
  
  
" _What?!_ " Didymus bared his teeth, "then someone needs clobbering! I shall go forth and smite down his enemies!" He began waving his wooden stick around, fighting off an invisible horde of some sort.   
  
  
"Hoo boy," Hoggle sat down again, "it's gonna be a _long_ afternoon.. "


	42. Rash Decisions

James was not just a cheeky, non conforming Prince. He was also an adventurer, keen to explore what else was out there. However, in his downtime, when he was actually calm and not doing anything else, James studied to become a Healer. He was quite good at it, his compassion for all living things being the driving force behind his enthusiasm for the practice. He knew how to make a mild painkiller, he just needed to find the right natural matierals. There was a forest not far away where he knew he could find them, but he needed to hurry. Hoggle would do his best, of that James was certain but Hoggle was a Dwarf and if someone really wanted to get at Jareth; he'd stand no chance at stopping them.   
  
  
**   
  
  
Jareth moaned as he started to wake up, but the infernal yapping of an annoying little voice was enough to make him want to go back into unconsciousness. He tried to sit up, feeling someone supporting him by holding his arm as he did so. Expecting to see James, Jareth looked around and was surprised to find it was Hoggle; not the Draconian, who was helping him up.  
  
  
"Ah! His Royal Highness awakens!" Didymus boasted, obviously pleased with himself, "a battle well fought and won by me, of course!"  Hoggle made a face of annoyance.  
  
  
"Ugh!" he grumbled.  Jareth let the world stop spinning before he attempted to stand up, using Hoggle as a sort of brace for the first part but Hoggle didn't mind at all.  
  
  
"What's going on, Higgle?" Jareth asked quietly. Hoggle quelled his anger, Jareth _was_ out of sorts, afterall.  
  
  
"You fainted," Hoggle explained, "James has gone to get you something for the pain. Jareth, why didn't ya just tell someone?"  But Jareth turned his gaze away, unwilling to admit that he was still weak and in need of more rest.  
  
  
"It's not that serious," Jareth replied sharply, "I just needed some air, that's all." Hoggle didn't argue, there really was no use.  
  
  
"Never fear, my Prince!" barked Didymus, "for I am here to keep you safe! Watch! As I drive back the hordes of-.. "   
  
  
Hoggle's eyes grew wide as a sudden explosion puffed smoke and glitter all around Didymus and Ambrosias. He glanced over at Jareth, who had summoned a crystal orb in annoyance and tossed it at Didymus, thinking the boy as irritating as a yapping terrier. In his dizzy state, instead of sending the pair back to school; he turned Ambrosias into a sheep dog and Didymus himself into an actual anthro-terrier.  
  
  
"Uh-Oh," Hoggle mumbled, "his parents ain't gonna be too thrilled.. "


	43. An Unlikely Trio

Didymus coughed and got up off the ground, the smoke burning his sinuses to the point of being unable to smell anything.   
  
  
"Oh dear," Didymus looked at himself curiously. Hoggle looked at Jareth now.  
  
  
"You gotta change 'em back!" Hoggle insisted.   
  
  
"I'm afraid I'll just make it worse," Jareth doubted himself, "my mind is.. it's all fuzzy.. "   
  
  
"I _like_ it!" Didymus bared his little teeth, "grrrr, _ruff ruff ruff ruff!_ " He waved his stick around menacingly, "ah ha! Take _that!_ And _that!_ " He jumped around with twice the energy he had before.  
  
  
"Make it stop!" Hoggle covered his ears.   
  
  
"I can't!" Jareth backed away, worried he might make them vanish completely next time.  
  
  
"You and yer temper tantrums!" Hoggle ran away behind Jareth, his hands still covering his ears as Didymus yapped and barked happily, his bushy tail wagging furiously. Hoggle stumbled and felt himself falling, but something grabbed his arm and hauled him out of the deep pit he'd almost tumbled into. Gasping for air, his heart thumping in his chest; Hoggle stared in shock at Jareth.  
  
  
"Alright?" Jareth asked him, steadying the Dwarf onto his feet.   
  
  
"Uh.. Y-Yeah," Hoggle stammered, "thanks.. "   Jareth straightened up and looked around as James returned, handing Jareth a couple of roughly formed pills.  
  
  
"You might wanna chew them or they'll scratch your throat," James warned him, "I didn't have anywhere to smooth them off."  Jareth took the pills and James looked down at Didymus.  
  
  
"What happened to him?" James asked. Jareth looked guilty and James chuckled.  
  
  
"I don't wanna know," James laughed, "how's the pain?"    
  
  
"Tolerable," Jareth told him, "thank you."   
  
  
"Do you want to go back?" James asked him.  
  
  
"I'm happy here," Jareth sat down in the soft grass again, "school's almost out anyway."    
  
  
"Are we still going to Sarah's place?" asked James.   
  
  
"Of course," Jareth nodded.   
  
  
"You're going back there?" Hoggle lifted his brows, "you're insane."  Jareth looked at him.   
  
  
"It'll be fun," Jareth smiled slightly, "come on.. "   
  
  
"Y-Yer inviting _me?_ " Hoggle asked, dumbfounded.   
  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" Jareth questioned him, "so, will you come?"   
  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," Hoggle was surprised, Jareth wasn't ordering him to go but was asking him if he'd like to. Like a _friend_ would..


	44. Technology

Sarah was curious as to where the boys had got to during lunch, but as she walked home and approached the twin boulders; she smiled when she saw them waiting for her.  
  
  
"I wasn't expecting all of you," Sarah admitted as she walked up to them, "come on, let's go before someone sees us."  She led the way through the rift, followed closely by Jareth, James and then Hoggle nervously brought up the rear.  
  
  
"So this is my home," Sarah gestured around, "make yourselves comfortable.. "   Jareth sat down on the sofa, James sat in an armchair across from him and Hoggle stood looking around in wonder.  
  
  
"I don't see any torches," said Hoggle.  
  
  
"So?" asked James.  
  
  
"So how do we see at night?" Hoggle asked.  
  
  
"Oh, there's a weird switch on the wall," Jareth explained, "it makes light somehow."  
  
  
"Rubbish," James chuckled, "you really did hit your head, didn't you?"  
  
  
"Laugh it up," Jareth frowned, "you'll see."  
  
  
"Alright, alright," Hoggle got into the middle of the argument, "just so long as there's light."  
  
  
"Scared of the dark?" asked James.  
  
  
Hoggle looked away, then Sarah came into the living room and gave them each a hot chocolate. She sat down with one herself and she and Jareth started drinking theirs at once. James looked at the brown, milky fluid and sniffed at it cautiously. Hoggle greedily gulped his down in seconds, it was so much better than the swamp water he was used to drinking all his life.  
  
  
"Mmm! Tasty!" Hoggle said happily. Sarah smiled at him, such a small thing she took for granted had become an amazing wonder for her friends from another realm. James took a small mouthful to test the beverage and then drank the rest of it quickly, it warmed up his insides and left him with quite an amorous feeling.  
  
  
"It's like some sort of love potion," James remarked.  
  
  
"It's got chocolate in it," Sarah said thoughtfully, "they say it does something like that to people, but it might be enhanced with you guys.. "  
  
  
"Great," Jareth set down his empty mug, "as if James wasn't flirty enough."   
  
  
Sarah giggled quietly, she felt so elated that Jareth seemed to be back to normal and he apparently wasn't upset with her at all. It had been a huge misunderstanding, Jareth felt he could not hold it against her; so he simply let it go and had moved on.  
  
  
"I'm so glad I didn't give you guys coffee," Sarah mused, for that would be a fun experiment for another day; when she wasn't so worried about things getting broken.  
  
  
"I can't hang about for long," James told Sarah, "but I can come back a little later."  
  
  
"I understand," Sarah nodded, sensing James was in need of female attention, "I'll see you in a while then." James looked at Hoggle.  
  
  
"Want a ride home?" he asked.  
  
  
"Nah," Hoggle was keen to stick around.  
  
  
"Alright," James shrugged, "see you!"  He left and Jareth turned his attention back to Sarah, he wanted to talk to her but Hoggle was still here.  
  
  
"Why don't we go upstairs and talk?" Sarah suggested. Jareth and Sarah stood up.  
  
  
"What will _I_ do?" Hoggle asked.  
  
  
"You can watch TV," said Sarah, "and wait for James to come back."  
  
  
Sarah put on the television and Hoggle stared at it in amazement, a little frightened at first but then he got closer to watch it. Sarah looked at Jareth, who was also staring in wonder at the strange box with moving pictures in it. She tugged his arm and he blinked out of it, following her up to her bedroom to talk.


	45. Us

  
They sat facing each other on the bed, Sarah was nervous because she was certain that Jareth was here to tell her that they couldn't ever see each other anymore.  
  
  
"Sarah," Jareth began, "I would like very much to continue seeing you."  Sarah looked shocked.  
  
  
"But Jareth," she argued, "your parents.. "  Jareth averted his gaze momentarily.  
  
  
"I shan't be at home for too much longer," Jareth looked at her again, "but before I leave, I have to know something."  
  
  
"What is it?" Sarah questioned him.  
  
  
"I need to know your thoughts," Jareth told her.  
  
  
" _My_ thoughts?" Sarah looked confused, "about what?"   
  
  
"Us," Jareth replied quietly, searching her eyes with his own, "do you see much of a future for _us_ , Sarah?"  Sarah sat in stunned silence.  
  
  
"I am in love with you," Jareth told her firmly, "I cannot deny that. But what of you, Sarah? Do you love me?"  He took her hand into his, a glimmer of hope in his eyes as hers grew wider.  
  
  
"Jareth, I don't know what to say!" Sarah's heart was pounding, "falling in love takes a long time.. "   Jareth drew back a little, but he wasn't one to simply give up just like that.  
  
  
"I need to know that you are willing to give us a real chance to find out," Jareth explained, "before I make such a commitment to a lifelong decision such as this."  Sarah fell silent as she thought about her options, but the more she dwelled upon it; the more becoming a Queen appealed to her.  
  
  
"Alright," Sarah finally answered him, "I really do like you, Jareth. So let's give it a shot and see what happens." Jareth smiled at her and she leaned in, kissing his soft lips affectionately.  
  
  
"Come away with me," Jareth whispered quietly, his eyes locked with hers.  
  
  
"Where would we go?" asked Sarah, "you're leaving home.. "   
  
  
"We will have our own castle," Jareth enticed her, "our own lands to rule over.. Come with me, Sarah.. We would be so good together.. "   Sarah felt giddy as she was drawn in by his words and his beautiful eyes.  
  
  
"Nothing would make me happier!" Sarah beamed at him and Jareth touched her face, drawing her into another soft kiss. Sarah lay slowly back into her pillows, bringing Jareth down over her as they closed their eyes and began to make out.


	46. Indulgence

Hoggle got quite caught up watching a soap on TV, when something touched his shoulder and he let out a startled yelp.  
  
  
"Whoa, take it easy!" James grinned, as Hoggle spun around in surprise, "it's just me, where's Jareth and Sarah?"  
  
  
"Upstairs," Hoggle said with a sigh, his heart beating much too quickly for comfort, "they've been up there for a while."  
  
  
"Must be having a deep and meaningful," said James.  
  
  
"A deep and meaningful what?" asked Hoggle.  
  
  
"Conversation," James smirked, "I'm hungry.. "  He wandered into the kitchen and Hoggle followed him, standing in the doorway while James opened up cupboards.  
  
  
"Maybe you should wait for Sarah," Hoggle cautioned him. James took out a can of whipped cream, turning it over in his hands curiously.  
  
  
"I wonder what's in here?" he asked aloud, trying to get it to open, "the lid won't come off.. "  He pressed something and it gave way, but it broke and the cream began to foam and squirt out uncontrollably.  
  
  
"Turn it off!" Hoggle panicked.  
  
  
"I'm _trying!_ " laughed James, who seemed to be having the time of his life as the whipped cream exploded everywhere.  
  
  
"Let _me_ try," Hoggle approached him and slipped over in the cream, sliding along the floor.  
  
  
James laughed harder at the sight but was bowled over by the sliding Dwarf and they just lay there for a silent moment before collapsing into fits of laughter. Hoggle decided James was alright for a royal, he was down to earth and didn't mind getting his hands dirty.  
  
  
"James," Hoggle laughed helplessly, "I can't.. can't get up!"  
  
  
**  
  
  
Upstairs, Jareth and Sarah were putting their clothes back on and all the noise downstairs suddenly got their attention.   
  
  
"What on Earth is going on down there?" Sarah mumbled, frowning curiously. Jareth put his arms around her waist and she smiled up into his eyes, tilting her head as he kissed her just below her ear softly.  
  
  
"You are _amazing_ , Sarah Williams," Jareth spoke hotly into her ear and Sarah squirmed with pleasure.  
  
  
"Jareth you're such a tease!" Sarah giggled, "oh I don't want to go downstairs.. "  
  
  
"We probably should," Jareth withdrew from her reluctantly, "it sounds like James is back."  
  
  
"Alright," Sarah replied quietly, but she leaned in and they kissed for a moment longer before descending the staircase to see what all the noise was.  
  
  
"Hoggle?" Sarah walked towards the kitchen and stopped short, her mouth agape, "you _guys!_ What are you _doing?!_ "  James slowly got to his feet, but Hoggle wasn't quite so elegant and kept falling back down.  
  
  
"We got hungry," James replied, "and then that cannister attacked us."  Jareth shook his head slowly and sighed, but Sarah couldn't help grinning.  
  
  
"Well I hope you're going to help me clean it up," Sarah told them both. James put his finger into his mouth and raised his brows.  
  
  
"Tastes great, though," James remarked, "don't worry, luv. We'll have it cleared up in a jiffy, right Hoggle?"  
  
  
"Right," Hoggle stood up and slipped over again, "ugh, in a minute.. "


	47. Coming To Terms

James and Hoggle helped Sarah to clean up the kitchen, but Jareth had been ushered over to the sofa; so he lay down and drifted into a light slumber. Sarah looked at him after they had all finished, she couldn't help the pangs of guilt all over again as they stirred within her at the sight of his wrists. Jareth had done remarkably well to have kept them hidden so far, but they were exposed just now and he was not awake to prevent the rope burns from being seen.  
  
  
"They look so painful," Sarah covered her mouth with one hand.  
  
  
"Hey," James placed a firm grip on her shoulder, "he doesn't blame you. Don't beat yourself up, alright?"  Sarah turned towards him and James embraced her comfortingly, she hadn't even bothered to ask Jareth how he was or noticed any scars on his body when they were upstairs. She felt so terrible!  
  
  
"Am I a bad person, James?" Sarah asked him.  
  
  
"No," James kissed the top of her head, "Jareth has moved on, Sarah. Don't drag him back there.. "   Sarah nodded silently, thankful that James was here to comfort her.  
  
  
"Should we wake him?" Sarah looked down at Jareth.  
  
  
"Best let him be," James replied softly, "his body needs time to recover but he's too stubborn to rest."  Sarah felt the tension in James' body, she knew then that Jareth was not the only one she'd hurt.  
  
  
"I'm sorry, James," Sarah whispered, looking up at those soft blue eyes of his. James didn't want to forgive her, but he had to for Jareth's sake.  
  
  
"I know," James accepted her apology, but if Jareth hadn't fallen for her; she'd be a lot _more_ sorry..    
  
  
"It's getting dark," Hoggle announced, worried.  
  
  
"I'll just turn the lights on then," Sarah walked over to the light switch and flicked it. James looked up as the lights came on, amazed.  
  
  
"Well, that's _him_ occupied," Hoggle mused.  
  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Sarah, "James?"  James reluctantly tore his gaze away from the shining light.  
  
  
"Sorry?" he asked, his gaze trailing slowly back up to the light globe; where it remained for a while.  
  
  
"I guess I'll start cooking dinner then," Sarah told Hoggle, "want to help me?"  
  
  
"Alright," Hoggle agreed, "but I gotta warn ya, I ain't never cooked no food before."  
  
  
"Don't worry," Sarah smiled at him, leading the way into the kitchen, "I'll teach you."  
  
  
She got a chair for him to stand on and they started fixing dinner. Hoggle was enjoying himself so much, he'd never had a sleepover or even spent the afternoon at anyone's house. He had only ever eaten whatever edible vegetation grew around the swamp or any critters he could catch in his traps and that was only bugs and grubs, so today was definitely one he was going to remember for a long time.  
  
  
"How about a cake for after?" Sarah suggested once they had finished, "we could make it while dinner's cooking."  
  
  
"Not a good idea," James wandered in, "Jareth doesn't like cake.. "  
  
  
"How strange," Sarah frowned, "do you know why?"  
  
  
  
"Nah," James shook his head, "it's weird I know but it sure made birthdays very interesting for us. His parents kept making them for him, though. I remember one year, he took off his diaper and wore the cake instead. He ran around the castle so fast, it took five servants to catch him!"  Sarah and Hoggle laughed amusedly, Sarah didn't know what she would have done if James hadn't forgiven her. James had this way of making everything better, even when he was unhappy.

 

"Okay, cake is _definitely_ out!" Sarah chuckled.  
  
  
"Dinner smells great," Hoggle sniffed the air, "when will it be ready to eat?"   
  
  
"Soon," said Sarah, "why don't you and James go set the table, I'll wake Jareth."  James nodded, because as far as he was aware; Jareth hadn't been eating at all lately.


	48. Pizza

Sarah carefully sat down on the edge of the sofa, but Jareth woke instantly at the sensation so she didn't have to do anything.  
  
  
"Jareth?" Sarah spoke quietly. He sat up a little, blinking curiously at waking up in a strange place and then he remembered where he was and relaxed.  
  
  
"Must have dozed off," Jareth sat up more now.  
  
  
"It's time for dinner," Sarah put her hand gently over his, "are you alright?"   Jareth gave her a short nod.  
  
  
"Of course I am," he replied, standing up.  
  
  
"Okay, good," Sarah smiled a little, "I hope you're hungry, I've made something special. I think you'll like it."  
  
  
Jareth walked with her into the dining room, where he sat down with James and Hoggle. Sarah brought the dinner in and put it in front of them, smiling broadly. James recoiled from it, staring at it with wary interest.  
  
  
"What's it called?" James asked.  
  
  
"Pizza," Sarah replied, "try some!"  
  
  
"But there is no silverware," Jareth spoke now.  
  
  
"You don't need a knife and fork to eat Pizza," laughed Sarah, "watch.. "  
  
  
She reached over and pulled out a slice, then brought it to her mouth and took a bite out of it. Jareth arched a brow, the mere thought of touching food with his hands did not sit well with him.  
  
  
"Right up your alley, James," he remarked. James looked uncertain, but Sarah was doing it so he figured he'd give it a try. He took a slice and sniffed at it, then took a small bite.  
  
  
"How is it?" asked Hoggle. James grabbed a second slice and held one in each hand, nodding.  
  
  
"It's amazing!" James answered him.  
  
  
Hoggle didn't need to be told twice, he grabbed some pizza and began to stuff his face. Sarah smiled at them, already wondering what else she could introduce them to for dessert. Jareth still hadn't taken an interest in the circular food, he sat back and decided that perhaps a good, long sleep was in order. The combination of anxiety, pain and nausea made it difficult for him to feel hunger. His body required more rest, this was true but it also demanded nourishment and it wasn't getting any; making him weak and tired.  
  
  
"Jareth, why don't you have a bite?" Sarah urged him as he showed his reluctance.  
  
  
Jareth's gaze flicked to Hoggle's face, which was covered with melted cheese and sauce; as well as whatever else was on the strange disc. He felt his stomach churn at the sight, averting his gaze back to Sarah's beautiful eyes. Sensing his discomfort, Sarah got up and went to the kitchen for a knife and fork, then she brought them back and handed them to Jareth. He held them blankly for a moment, as Sarah placed a slice of pizza on his plate. He looked down at the triangle mess that was supposed to be edible, but he just could not bring himself to try it. It resembled something that had already gone down and had suddenly exploded right back up again!  
  
  
"It tastes better than it looks," James understood Jareth's indecision, grabbing a third slice, "better hurry or there'll be none left."  
  
  
Jareth set down the cutlery gently and pushed his chair back from the table, he couldn't listen to Hoggle's gulping and slurping a moment longer. He quietly excused himself and went up to Sarah's bedroom, sitting on the edge of her bed and resting his head in his hands in an effort to quell his gurgling stomach. He took in some deep, slow breaths and it seemed to help.  James was getting increasingly worried about his friend, if Jareth did not eat something soon he might become quite ill.  Sarah stood up, taking Jareth's plate into her hand.  
  
  
"I'm going to talk to him," she explained, "help yourselves to the ice cream in the freezer when you're done with dinner, okay?"  
  
  
"Alright," James nodded, "good luck!"  Sarah smiled at him and went upstairs to see Jareth. James looked at Hoggle.  
  
  
"What's a freezer?" he asked.


	49. Sugar Sugar Sugar Sugar Sugar

"Beats me," Hoggle shrugged, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. They ventured into the kitchen and tried to figure it out, but they didn't want to make another mess so they knew they had to be careful.  
  
  
"What are we looking for again?" Hoggle asked, opening a cupboard.  
  
  
"Ice cream," James replied. Hoggle put his hands on his hips and frowned.  
  
  
"Well what's that??" he demanded. James looked back at Hoggle and faltered.  
  
  
"I.. Don't know.. " he shrugged.  
  
  
"Well that's useful!" Hoggle grumbled, pulling open the dishwasher and peering inside.  
  
  
"I'm sure we'll find it in here someplace," James encouraged him, peeking into the trash compactor.  
  
  
"Well, it's not in here," James reported.  
  
  
"You don't even know what we're looking for," Hoggle said gruffly, "how can you tell?"   
  
  
"Well, Sarah said it's in a freezer," James deduced, "therefore it must be very, very cold."  
  
  
Hoggle looked thoughtful for a moment and decided he was right, then continued searching for the elusive dessert. James opened a small compartment just above the fridge, then he smiled as he pulled out a tub labeled 'ice cream' and brought it down to show Hoggle.  
  
  
"I've got it!" he announced, pulling off the lid, "umm.. oh, yes - spoon time."  
  
  
He grabbed a couple of spoons and handed one to Hoggle, then they sat down on the floor and began to eat. James was not fond of cold things, being Draconian gave him pause but it did taste very nice so he ate the dessert carefully. Hoggle was less hesitant and soon he felt something terrible, he stiffened up and groaned in pain. James looked at him curiously, had they just been poisoned?  
  
  
"You alright?" James ventured. Hoggle squirmed and writhed, the pain in the back of his head and neck was almost unbearable! And then, just like that - it was gone.  Hoggle panted heavily, his eyes wide.  
  
  
"Maybe slow down a little," James suggested.  
  
  
Hoggle nodded, not wanting a repeat of that unfortunate reaction. They had almost finished the entire tub, when James began to feel a little strange. Hoggle just felt sick, but full and having a full stomach was not a common feeling for the Dwarf. James got to his feet and his gaze flicked around dartingly, suddenly so full of energy that he thought he might explode if he had to sit still a minute longer!  
  
  
"What's wrong with you?" James looked down at Hoggle.  
  
  
"I'm so full," Hoggle moaned, laying down, "I can't move."  James laughed amusedly and scooped him up off the floor.  
  
  
"No time for loafing, Hoggle!" James smirked, "we've gotta get moving! Come on, I'll teach you how to fly!"  
  
  
Hoggle felt he might throw up as James suddenly raced up and down the stairs, along the hallways and around the house, flying if he could open his wings but mostly just running very fast. Hoggle flailed wildly, screaming as James spiked on the sugar rush, spinning around in circles and laughing hysterically. As the spinning began to slow down, Hoggle managed to get himself dropped safely onto the sofa but James stumbled and hit the wall. He slid down and felt dizzy, closing his eyes with a soft moan as he crashed down from the sugar high.  
  
  
"James, are you alright?" Hoggle approached him quickly. James opened his eyes, watching Hoggle spin with the rest of the room.  
  
  
"Again!" James said loudly, then his eyes rolled shut and he fainted. Hoggle sighed and shook his head, this realm really was not the best place for someone like James to be..


	50. Nothing Is What It Seems

Upstairs, Sarah sat the plate down and picked up a sash that she usually wore around her nightgown robe. She walked over to Jareth, who looked up at her curiously as she gently tied it around his head to blindfold him.  
  
  
"Sarah?" Jareth ventured, "what are you doing?"  
  
  
"Shh," Sarah hushed him and broke off some pizza, holding it to Jareth's lips.  
  
  
He felt something touching his mouth, so he opened it trustingly and Sarah gently put the food into it. She smiled lightly as he ate it slowly, then she offered another piece and he accepted that one as well. Jareth pulled down the blindfold, looking at the slice of pizza in Sarah's hand.  
  
  
"You see?" Sarah held the plate out to him and Jareth carefully picked up the pizza slice. He examined it doubtfully, but Sarah was encouraging him with her smile.  
  
  
"Jareth you don't have to sit up at a table here," Sarah told him, "with a dozen different spoons and forks.. Just lift it up and put it into your mouth. Forget everything you were taught and live a little.. "  Jareth looked at her and then slowly took a bite of the pizza slice. Sarah beamed proudly at him, pleased that her efforts had finally paid off.  Jareth lowered his gaze and bit back a smile in response.  
  
  
"I feel so _naughty_ ," he said softly and Sarah thought she'd die!  
  
  
"How are you just so _impossibly_ adorable?" she asked him quietly, as he politely finished his slice, still wearing such a guilty expression upon his face.  
  
  
"Sarah," Jareth looked into her eyes, "I don't have a napkin and there's crumbs in my lap.. "  Sarah reached over and simply brushed them onto the floor, much to Jareth's apparent horror.  
  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Sarah.  Jareth snapped out of it, he had to remember he wasn't at home and the rules were different here.  
  
  
"It doesn't matter," he replied momentarily, "thank you.. "   
  
  
"You're very welcome," Sarah touched his cheek and he took her hand, kissing the back of it as he gazed into her eyes once more.  
  
  
The nausea in his stomach lessened now that there was food to break down and turn into energy, but he was still quite sleepy and it showed in his eyes as they became half closed. Sarah looked around as she heard Hoggle screaming and things crashing to the floor, just what was happening now?  She turned to Jareth and pushed him down into the bed, he did not protest and Sarah waited until his eyes were closed before she left him to sleep. Hurrying downstairs, she arrived in time to see James pass out and she rushed over to him.  
  
  
"What happened?" she asked Hoggle.  
  
  
"We had some ice cream and he just went all weird," Hoggle replied. Sarah thought for a minute and then she closed her eyes with a heavy sigh.  
  
  
"Oh I am so _stupid!_ " she put her hand to her forehead, "that's it, no more sugar for you."  
  
  
"What's wrong with sugar?" asked Hoggle.  
  
  
"It's refined," Sarah responded, opening her eyes again, "it wouldn't be anything like that raw, brown stuff you're probably used to."  
  
  
"Oh," Hoggle scratched his head, not quite understanding the difference but trusting Sarah's explanation.  
  
  
"Will he be alright?" Hoggle asked.  
  
  
"I think so," Sarah looked at James, "but he's not going to feel very good when he wakes up."  
  
  
"Um, Sarah.. " Hoggle said slowly. Sarah looked at him, waiting for him to speak again.  
  
  
"I just wanna say thanks," Hoggle told her nervously, "I ain't never been to nobody's house before. Come to think of it, I ain't never had no friends before, either."  Sarah felt pity for the Dwarf, but she smiled at him because he was honest and she felt that she could trust him no matter what.  
  
  
"Well you've got some now," Sarah told him firmly, "and I can't imagine better friends than you guys."  She leaned over and hugged him tightly, making him blush profusely.  
  
  
"Are you alright to sleep on the sofa?" Sarah asked him.  
  
  
"Sure!" Hoggle replied eagerly, "it's a lot softer than my lumpy, old dirt filled sack at home!"  
  
  
Sarah got up and left Hoggle to sleep on the sofa, she returned to her bedroom and crept into her bed with Jareth; curling up beside him. Jareth turned away from her and Sarah couldn't resist pulling his shirt down a little way. She sucked in a hiss at the scars on his upper back and she wished she could just take it all back or make it go away somehow. Settling into the pillows, she managed to drift off to sleep until morning.


	51. Plans For The Weekend

James woke up about an hour after everyone was asleep, he slowly got up and held his head with a groan; before stumbling into Sarah's parent's bedroom and laying down to get some proper sleep. James tucked his wings up carefully and closed his eyes, hoping Jareth felt better tomorrow and that Sarah had convinced him to eat something.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Saturday morning arrived slowly, nobody was awake until around 9am when James' eyes snapped open. He was the kind of person who generally possessed boundless energy that began bright and early in the morning, but he was also respectful enough to keep the noise down until everyone else woke up. He crept downstairs and wandered into the living room, being careful not to wake Hoggle. James was keen to get back to the Underground, but he did not want to rude and just vanish without telling someone where he'd gone or they might think he went outside and had got lost. Eventually, Hoggle opened his eyes and yawned; sitting up with a pleasant smile on his face.  
  
  
"Sleep well?" James ventured, startling the unsuspecting Dwarf.  
  
  
"Best night's sleep I've ever had!" Hoggle replied, once his heart had stopped racing so quickly at the fright.  
  
  
"I'm going home," James told him quietly.   
  
  
"Alright," Hoggle nodded, "I'll let the others know."   
  
  
"See you later, Hoggle," James smiled at him and left the house, intent on visiting Ember today. Hoggle got down off the sofa and switched on the television, settling in to watch it until Jareth and Sarah woke up.   
  
  
*   
  
  
Sarah was the first to awaken out of the two, she opened her eyes and sat up slowly to adjust to the sunlight in the room. She glanced down at Jareth, who was still very deeply asleep and her eyes caught his wrists again. They were getting better, but it still struck at her heart and made her feel awful. Jareth's scars would never fully heal on his back, but it would forever serve as a reminder to Sarah of just how strongly he felt about her. Sarah got up and went downstairs, pouring herself and Hoggle some cereal and juice as well as making some toast.  
  
  
"Morning Hoggle," Sarah greeted him, "where's James?"   
  
  
"Oh, hello Sarah," Hoggle turned around, "James went home earlier. How's Jareth doing?"    
  
  
"Jareth's still asleep," Sarah replied, "but I think he's feeling better, at least I _hope_ he is.. "   
  
  
"Me too," Hoggle said quietly, "without James around, it's hard to know what to do."   
  
  
"I'm sure we'll be okay," Sarah smiled at him, "James may know Jareth better than he knows himself but he's our friend too and we can figure it out."  Hoggle nodded, joining Sarah for breakfast.   
  
  
"So did he eat?" Hoggle asked, his mouth filled with milk and frosted flakes. Sarah grimaced amusedly as he dribbled, no wonder poor Jareth couldn't eat in the Dwarf's presence.   
  
  
"Eventually, yes," Sarah replied, "although he was _very_ uncomfortable."   
  
  
"Well I don't know much about how royals like to eat," Hoggle admitted.  Sarah thought back on the way Jareth had reacted when she'd brushed the crumbs from his lap onto the floor, he honestly had looked like they might be scolded severely for it.  
  
  
"I imagine it is very, very different than the way we eat," Sarah mused.  
  
  
"I'd hate to be brought up in such a strict place," Hoggle added, "too many rules if ya ask me!"   
  
  
"That's why I am so happy Jareth has come to visit me here," Sarah told him, "I want to show him that he can just be himself around me and I will never judge him. James is a really fun guy and I just can't see them being friends if Jareth wasn't a lot of fun as well."    
  
  
"That's true," Hoggle looked up, "James can't sit still, he _hates_ boredom."   
  
  
"Exactly," Sarah grinned at him now, "and James always has such interesting stories to tell about when he and Jareth were little, they got into so much mischief!"  Hoggle gave a chuckle, picturing the skinny, fluffy haired toddler wearing nothing but his birthday cake for a diaper and being chased all over the castle. What a way to protest the sweet treat..   
  
  
"I think it's a great idea to get Jareth out of that castle for a few days," Hoggle told Sarah, "maybe he will loosen up."  Sarah nodded.  
  
  
"That's the plan," she agreed, "I just hope it works."


	52. Toby

But things suddenly got interesting, when there came a knock at the door. Sarah frowned and got up to answer it, greeting a very distraught woman that Sarah knew only as Vivian.   
  
  
"I'm sorry but I can't do this," Vivian told Sarah, "I know I promised your Mother but- "    
  
  
" _Step_ Mother," Sarah corrected her firmly. Vivian thrust a small boy into the house, dumped his overnight bag and promptly left. Sarah closed the door and sighed, gazing down at the boy impatiently.  
  
  
"What did you do _this_ time?!" she demanded.  
  
  
"It wasn't _me!_ " the boy ran upstairs and slammed his bedroom door.  
  
  
"Who was _that?_ " asked Hoggle.  
  
  
"That's my little brother," Sarah sat down and rested her forehead on the table, "Toby."   
  
  
"What's he doing here?" Hoggle wondered.  
  
  
"Because he's a little shit!" Sarah complained, "oh Hoggle, he's going to ruin everything! Jareth will never stick around now, Toby's sure to get on his nerves!"   Hoggle tried to be more optimistic.  
  
  
"Maybe he won't get on anyone's nerves today," Hoggle shrugged.   
  
  
"Toby always gets on everyone's nerves," Sarah informed him, "his mother spoils him so damn rotten, he's _unbearable!_ "  Jareth slowly walked down the stairs.   
  
  
"..And now he's woken Jareth up," Sarah growled, standing up and walking over to greet the still half asleep Prince.   
  
  
"Did I just hear a small child?" Jareth asked.  
  
  
"Yes," Sarah replied, guiding him over to sit down on the sofa, "it's just my little brother, Toby."  Toby had followed Jareth silently down the stairs and now stood staring at Hoggle with wide, blue eyes.   
  
  
" _I'm_ telling _mom!_ " Toby ranted, "you've got a boy here _and_ a monster!"  Hoggle felt insulted, but he'd heard worse.   
  
  
"Don't be rude!" Sarah scolded her brother.  Toby stuck out his tongue and Sarah tried to grab him but he ran away from her and stopped over by Jareth.  
  
  
"Your hair is weird," said Toby and Sarah was mortified.  
  
  
"Do you like it?" Jareth asked the boy.   
  
  
"Yeah," Toby nodded slowly.  
  
  
"I like your shoes," Jareth told him.   
  
  
"They light up when I stomp!" Toby grinned, stomping his feet. Jareth looked impressed.  
  
  
"I wonder if my boots will do that?" he said, standing up and stamping his feet. Toby giggled when Jareth looked at his boots in disappointment, his little hands flying to his mouth amusedly.  
  
  
"Maybe they're broken," Jareth puzzled.  
  
  
"Stomp harder!" Toby chuckled, "like this!"  So Jareth tried stamping harder and Toby roared with laughter. Sarah stood there, her mouth agape and her eyes wide open in disbelief. Hoggle wasn't sure what to make of it, the kid seemed alright now.  
  
  
"I thought you said he was a menace?" Hoggle asked Sarah.  But Sarah just stood there, completely _dumbfounded._


	53. Siblings

"Come see my room!" Toby invited Jareth, "come on!" He pulled at Jareth's shirt, so Jareth flicked his gaze to Sarah; seeking her permission first. Sarah snapped out of it and gave Jareth a slight nod, watching him get dragged upstairs by her eager little brother.  
  
  
"I don't understand," Sarah finally found her voice, "what just happened?"    
  
  
"You probably don't wanna hear this," Hoggle explained, "but where we come from, life's stages are a lot longer than they are here."  Sarah slowly sat down, listening to him.   
  
  
"Jareth's kind generally live for.. I don't know how long!" Hoggle went on, "so, you know.. Deep down, Jareth can still relate to small children and he probably will for a few hundred years yet.. "  Sarah found it nice that Jareth was still really a child at heart but it also made her cringe because of the whipping and his inability to loosen up despite his parents not being around. Perhaps Toby was the very thing he needed right now afterall..    
  
  
**   
  
  
"This is my room!" Toby raced over to his bed and started jumping on it, "it's a racecar bed! Neat isn't it?"   
  
  
"Not anymore," Jareth arched a brow, "you've just messed it all up!"  Toby bounced on his bottom and leapt off the bed.  
  
  
"This is my plane!" Toby shoved a metal toy into Jareth's hands, before rushing around to grab other things, "and my car and my robot and this is my train.. "    
  
  
Jareth looked at the toys curiously, he'd never seen such things before. He held up the plane and let go of it, but instead of falling to the floor it started flying around harmlessly.  
  
  
"Cool!" Toby exclaimed, "I didn't know it could do that!"  Jareth smiled at the reaction, of course he was using magic to help it fly but Toby was unaware of this.  
  
  
"What's your favorite thing in this room?" asked Jareth. Toby grabbed a stuffed bear from his pillows.  
  
  
"This," he said quietly, "but don't tell anyone."  
  
  
"Why not?" asked Jareth.   
  
  
"Because it's Sarah's really," Toby replied, "and she gets mad if anyone touches her stuff."   
  
  
"So do I," Jareth told him, "but I think it's good that you have someone to look out for you."  Toby sat down quietly.  
  
  
"She's always telling me what to do!" he complained, "and she's really bossy!"    
  
  
"I'd be more worried if she wasn't," Jareth pointed out, "it means she still cares about you."  Toby fell silent, it was good advice but at such a young age it probably wouldn't make a lot of sense to the boy.   
  
  
"Do you have a big sister?" asked Toby. Jareth was silent for a long time.  
  
  
"I did," Jareth spoke softly, "but she died.. before I was born."  Toby lowered his eyes. Jareth sat back and decided he needed to lighten the mood again, since James was not here to do it for him.  
  
  
"I don't like it when people tell me what to do, either," Jareth confessed to Toby, "that's why I'm going away."   
  
  
"Can I come with you?" Toby asked him. Jareth shook his head, no.  
  
  
"I think your Mother would be very sad," Jareth replied.   
  
  
"I guess so," Toby sighed heavily.   
  
  
"Perhaps when you're older," Jareth suggested, "maybe you can come and find me then?"   
  
  
"Okay!" Toby brightened up, "then we can play all day and nobody will ever tell us what to do!" Jareth laughed and Toby got up, hugging him tightly around his neck.   
  
  
"Watch this!" Toby ran over to his bed, climbed up and started bouncing around on it again. Jareth watched him and Toby was ecstatic to have such a wonderful friend to keep him company, one who didn't tell him to stop being so annoying or to clean up his bedroom.  
  
  
"You should take Sarah when you leave," Toby jumped down again.   
  
  
"Would you like that?" Jareth asked him.   
  
  
"Yup," Toby nodded, "would you really take her?"   
  
  
"For you?" Jareth shrugged, "well.. alright."  Toby jumped up and down.  
  
  
"Yay!" he cheered excitedly.   
  
  
"Oh no.. " Jareth looked worried.   
  
  
"What?" asked Toby, suddenly still and silent.  
  
  
"That means she'll boss _me_ around instead!" Jareth looked horrified and Toby screamed with giggles all over again.


	54. It's Only Forever

Sarah heard Toby's delighted squeals and giggles all the way downstairs, she'd never heard him do that before.  
  
  
"I'm going to make sure Jareth's alright," Sarah told Hoggle, "Toby can be a real handful."  She hurried up the stairs and Hoggle slowly followed after her. As she walked into the open doorway, Sarah stared up at the ceiling where her little brother was floating and laughing hysterically.  
  
  
"Look Sarah!" Toby shouted with glee, "I'm _flying!_ "   
  
  
Jareth was just standing there, his arms folded and an amused expression upon his face. Sarah got over her shock and leaned against the door frame, noticing how very relaxed Jareth had become. Her first instinct was to tell Toby to come down from there, but she held her tongue and just let the two of them play. Hoggle arrived and looked up at Toby next, secretly wishing that he could be up there as well and suddenly he began to float.  
  
  
"Wha.. What's happening?" Hoggle joined Toby high up in the air.  Jareth laughed and Sarah bit back a giggle, as Hoggle flapped and flailed about.  
  
  
"You wished for it," Jareth told Hoggle.   
  
  
"I was only _thinking_ it!" Hoggle protested.   
  
  
"I heard you," Jareth revealed, "are you displeased?"   
  
  
"Well," Hoggle stopped panicking and realized he was not going to fall, "not exactly.. "   
  
  
Pretty soon, both Hoggle and Toby were zooming around like birds and Sarah was having so much fun watching them that she didn't notice Jareth getting suddenly tired.  As the two began to float lower and lower, Sarah happened to glance at Jareth and finally saw that he was quickly tiring.   
  
  
"Okay you two," Sarah didn't let on that she'd seen, "Jareth and I need to talk for a while, come on.. "  Hoggle found his feet on the ground first, he was thankful for it but would never forget the wonderful experience.  Toby was next and he ran right up to Sarah, excitedly jumping around her and wanting to go up again.  
  
  
"Maybe later," Sarah smiled at him, "how about you show Hoggle how to play a video game?"   
  
  
"Okay," Toby looked at the Dwarf, "come on, it's downstairs."  Hoggle went with Toby into the living room and Sarah glanced at Jareth, who leaned against the wall but he didn't look upset at all.   
  
  
"Is everything alright?" Jareth asked her, "was I overdoing it?"   
  
  
"No, of course not!" Sarah reassured him, "you're great with him, I don't know what I would have done without you here."   
  
  
"He's a good kid," Jareth said quietly.   
  
  
"For _you_ maybe," Sarah grumbled. Jareth smirked at her but he pushed away from the wall and walked over to embrace her comfortingly.  
  
  
"When you come away with me," he reminded her, "you won't have to deal with him again."  Sarah pulled back.   
  
  
"What are you saying?" she asked him, confused, "that I can _never_ come back here?"  Jareth faltered slightly.  
  
  
"Is that not what you wish?" he asked her carefully. Sarah stared into his eyes, part of her wanted to say yes but part of her also wanted to say no.   
  
  
"I'm not sure," she replied uncertainly, "I can still _visit,_ can't I?"   Jareth was silent, because if she got wistful enough during such a visit, he was afraid of losing her.


	55. Woven Webs

Sarah was not an adult, so thinking a lot about things and their consequences was not her strong point yet. She weighed her options and decided that being with Jareth in a magical world where she could be Queen was far more appealing to her than a place where she was hounded constantly by her parents. She would be expected to grow up, get a job, start a family, get old and die. She didn't know how living in the Underground would affect her lifespan but it could only be a good thing, right?  
  
  
"Okay but I can't just disappear," Sarah finally agreed.  
  
  
"Sarah," Jareth touched her face and looked into her eyes, "if you tell your parents you plan to leave home, they will try to stop you no matter where you tell them you're going."  Sarah thought about it for a moment and the more she did, the more she knew he was right.  
  
  
"Well then.. What do I do?" Sarah questioned him, captivated by his charms, "they'll be worried sick and.. "  
  
  
"Why would they be upset?" Jareth asked her with a tilt of his head, "because their _babysitter_ is gone?" Sarah stared hard at him, she could not argue that. She was always left home alone, babysitting for them while they couldn't give a damn about her and what she might have had planned.  
  
  
"You know what?" Sarah set her jaw, "you're right. Monday afternoon, I am not going home."   Jareth let her embrace him and he smirked victoriously, Monday it would be, then.  
  
  
"Are you hungry?" Sarah drew back after a moment, "I've got cereal and toast.. "  
  
  
Jareth could not wait to get out of this place, all these strange foods made him edgy and somewhat homesick. But he was quite hungry this morning, so he gave her a short nod and they went downstairs to eat. Sarah poured a bowl of cereal for Toby and Jareth, then she sat with Hoggle on the sofa to watch them quietly. Toby grabbed his spoon and started making plane sounds, pretending it was flying food into his mouth. Jareth watched, puzzled for a moment and then picked up his own spoon, eating his cereal a little more sensibly. Toby was getting milk and cereal all over the table where he sat, Jareth kept looking around as if he expected someone to come in and start screaming about it at any moment.  
  
  
"Toby is so different when Jareth is around," Sarah said quietly to Hoggle, "he's.. actually tolerable."  
  
  
Hoggle shrugged, he didn't know Toby before today so he couldn't really agree nor disagree. Jareth was silent as he finished his breakfast, that hint of darkness would have been evident in his eyes again; had anyone bothered to look into them just then. He'd made a decision in that moment and nothing was going to stop him from carrying it out, but he had to be _very_ tactful.. 


	56. No Turning Back

After breakfast, Sarah bathed Toby and got him dressed for the day. He was not annoying at all and she started to think that she would actually miss him, once she was gone forever. She approached Jareth, while Toby showed Hoggle his room and his toys.  
  
  
"Jareth, I've been thinking," Sarah spoke to him, "about Toby.. "  Jareth looked at her curiously.  
  
  
"What of him?" Jareth asked, feigning disinterest.  
  
  
"Well," Sarah felt a little nervous, "I mean, he's my brother and.. "  
  
  
"You'd worry about him and miss him?" Jareth ventured.  Sarah nodded silently, hoping he wouldn't be angry with her.  
  
  
"Sarah, I would not be surprised at all if you worried about or missed Toby," Jareth replied quietly, "afterall, you know what he's like and without you to take him off his mother's hands so she can have a break, well.. "   Sarah hadn't thought of it that way, Toby was full on and his mother always needed to get away from him for a while. Would she really get so flustered, that she might actually hurt Toby?  
  
  
"Jareth.. I want to take Toby with us," Sarah said firmly.  
  
  
"If that is your wish," Jareth replied, a light undertone of boredom in his voice.  
  
  
"You really don't mind?" Sarah asked him, "I mean, you're not going to get upset?"  
  
  
"Now why would I be upset?" Jareth turned to her with a smile, "Toby and I get along just fine."  Sarah beamed at him.  
  
  
"That's great," she smiled, "and I think you're such a good influence on him, he might even turn out alright."  Jareth put his arms around her.  
  
  
"Sarah," he said softly, "perhaps it would be best if we left right now."  
  
  
"What?" Sarah's heart began to thump, she drew back and looked at him with wide eyes.  
  
  
"Why wait?" Jareth asked her, for he knew the rift would close the moment both she and Toby became legal citizens of the Underground, "if Toby is coming with us, there is no reason to hang around and risk your parents stopping you." Sarah trembled slightly with nerves, but he was right. She nodded nervously, pursing her lips with determination.  
  
  
"Alright," she agreed at last, "let's do this."


	57. Far From Home

Jareth waited in the living room, while Sarah and Toby packed. Hoggle looked up at him curiously, uncertain of questioning the young Prince but he just had to know.  
  
  
"Where is Sarah going with that suitcase?" Hoggle asked Jareth.  
  
  
"She's coming to stay with me," Jareth told him. "or, at least, someone anyway. Until I find a suitable place for us."  
  
  
"And Toby is going with her?" Hoggle lifted his brows.  
  
  
"Of course," Jareth replied.  
  
  
"But.. won't the adults get upset?" Hoggle asked.  
  
  
"I'm ready," Sarah came downstairs, followed closely by Toby. Jareth smiled at her and Sarah took one last look around, then they all left silently and soon reappeared between the twin boulders.  
  
  
"Cool!" Toby exclaimed, his eyes widening in amazement.  
  
  
"No regrets?" Jareth put his hand upon Sarah's shoulder.  
  
  
"No regrets," Sarah nodded firmly.  Jareth led the way along the path, when Didymus leapt out and brandished his stick at them.  
  
  
"Halt!" he shouted.  
  
  
"Oh for-.. !" Jareth muttered.  
  
  
"Didymus?" Sarah looked down at the little terrier, recognizing the boy's voice from school, "what happened to you?"   
  
  
"Stay back!" Didymus yapped at her.  
  
  
"But.. we need to get by!" Sarah argued with him.  
  
  
"Arrr ruff ruff ruff ruff!" Didymus lunged at her, his bushy tail waving wildly. Jareth started to get irritated with the constant barking, there had to be a way to shut him up!  
  
  
"How do we get past?" asked Hoggle.  
  
  
"Just go around," Jareth said flatly and led the way around the path. Didymus watched them and puffed his chest out boldly.  
  
  
"Once again, it is I who stands victorious!" he boasted.  
  
  
" _Arrogant little._. " Jareth grumbled.  
  
  
"So where will we be staying?" Sarah asked him. James and Ember turned up at that moment, taking note of the suitcases curiously.  
  
  
"Hey beautiful," James grinned, "hey Sarah.. " Sarah bit back a grin and Jareth pursed his lips.  
  
  
"What's with the suitcases?" asked Ember, "are you holidaying somewhere?"  
  
  
"Actually," Jareth spoke up now, "she needs a place to stay for a few days."  
  
  
"Why don't you all stay at my place?" James suggested, "I've got the room."  Toby ran up to James and Ember, until now he'd been quite silenced by the shock of a new world but now he was fascinated by the wings on these people.  
  
  
"Cool wings!" Toby raced around behind James, grabbing at his wings and pulling on them. James turned around and lifted Toby up onto his shoulders, then flew a few feet into the air.  
  
  
"Yeah!" Toby shouted excitedly, "this is the _best!_ "  
  
  
"Jareth?" Sarah turned to him, "is it alright if we stay with James?"  Jareth was unsure about it, James was the biggest flirt he knew but lately he had seemed to have settled down a lot because Jareth had only seen him with Ember for a couple of days in a row.  
  
  
"I suppose so," Jareth replied, watching James and Ember playing with Toby in the air, "but I'll come along too, just in case."  
  
  
Sarah hugged his arm, smiling happily and she gave a contented sigh. She knew everything would be alright now and as the rift began to fade out, her memory of home began to very slowly drift to the back of her mind. In time, she wouldn't even remember she ever lived anywhere else. If Jareth had his way, this was exactly his intention.  
  
  
"It'll be great, you'll see," James enthused, "we can take lava spas and everything!"  
  
  
"James, _we_ can't sit in lava!" Ember reminded him.  
  
  
"Oh yeah," James shrugged and tossed Toby to her, "and I suppose you don't like scalding hot baths, either?"  Ember smiled and shook her head, she knew James was only playing now.


	58. Led Astray

The next few hours were spent finding suitable bedrooms, unpacking the suitcases and relaxing in the castle foyer.  
  
  
"This is so exciting!" Ember was sitting next to Sarah, "I'm over here all the time now, we can hang out and do stuff after school!" Sarah couldn't have felt any more at home.  
  
  
"That sounds great!" Sarah smiled back at her, "but what do we do with Toby while we're in school?"  
  
  
"Don't worry," James spoke up, sitting down beside Jareth now, "he can hang about here. He can't get into any trouble with so many eyes watching out for him."  Toby was running around, chasing the tiny butterfly dragons and he bumped a stone pillar, sending a vase crashing to the floor.  
  
  
"Toby!" Sarah was mortified.  
  
  
"Easy there," James calmed her down, "it's just a vase."  Toby walked over to Sarah and sat up on her lap, closing his eyes with a yawn.  
  
  
"Toby, it's only.. " Sarah began, but he was already asleep.  
  
  
"Does he usually nap at lunchtime?" asked Ember curiously.  
  
  
"He _never_ naps," Sarah replied.  
  
  
"It'll do him good," James pointed out, "kids need a lot of sleep, especially if they're hyper."  
  
  
"That's right," Jareth mused, looking at James, "so go to sleep."  James shrugged and lay down, his head upon Jareth's lap. Sarah and Ember giggled, taking Toby upstairs to lay him down for his nap.  Jareth stood up and James sat back, looking at him silently.  
  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing," James said to him gently, "it's a big step."  
  
  
"I know," Jareth sighed heavily, "I'm not sure if I should.. but I _am_ sure that I must."  James nodded.  
  
  
"You know I'm always right behind you," James told him, "whatever you decide."  
  
  
"I am aware of that," Jareth said quietly, looking him in the eyes, "thank you."  James stood up and put his hand on Jareth's shoulder.  
  
  
"Hey," James said softly, "tomorrow, why don't we show these two what the Underground is _really_ made of?"  Jareth nodded.  
  
  
"A fine idea," he replied, for the more fun they had; the faster they would forget about home..


	59. Allied Trouble

James' parents didn't mind him having people over to stay for a while, being Draconians meant that they were not quite so restrictive with their son as other royals tended to be with their children. At dinner, it was Sarah's turn to feel nervous about using the wrong silverware. Hoggle and Toby just stuffed their faces, James was only slightly less messy about it but again the King and Queen did not scold nor look around in disapproval. So long as James chewed his food before gulping it down, they were okay with him using his hands whenever he felt the need. Jareth was quite possibly the only one eating properly, so Sarah decided to copy him and then he wouldn't feel like the odd one out.  
  
  
Aryana and Julian had heard from James about what had happened to Jareth, their son had been so distraught over it that they were seriously considering breaking off the alliance with Jareth's family. James had convinced them not to, but the damage was done and it'd not last much longer. The alliance would be traded later, when Jareth ruled his own Kingdom and James would continue it on from there when he was old enough to become King.  
  
  
*  
  
  
That night, Toby and Hoggle slept in James' old bedroom. Sarah was shown to a room directly across the hall from where Toby slept, in case he woke up and Jareth was right next door to Sarah. James and Ember had separate rooms too, but they would wake in the morning in one another's arms. Sometime in the night, Sarah crept into Jareth's bed and curled up with him. She was worried about the people here, she knew James was a sweetie but the other Draconians were battle driven, war hardened brutes.


	60. Sunday

Sunday came and went, it was a day filled with lots of fun and amusing antics. Being so young, Toby had already forgotten about home and he was having the time of his life in the Underground. He loved petting the unicorns, chasing the gnomes, flying up in the air with James and Ember; the whole world was his playground. Sarah had started the day watching Toby like a hawk, but quickly felt no need to do so because she could not see anything bad around the place that might happen to him. She just felt so safe and at ease here, there was almost no crime to speak of and what small things they were too, when they did happen. Laying in the grass at a park to eat and chat was a highlight for Sarah, they all sat around and just talked about stuff that didn't really matter and it was just so relaxing.  
  
  
Jareth even seemed back to his normal self, teasing James and laughing easily. There were so many amazing things to see and fun things to do, there simply wasn't time to see and do it all in a day.  
  
  
"Next weekend we will have to show you more," James said on the walk home. He was carrying Hoggle in his arms, because the short legged creature had tired himself out.  
  
  
"I can't wait!" Sarah beamed happily, glancing at Jareth; who was carrying Toby because he'd fallen asleep.  
  
  
"We're so lucky," Ember walked alongside Sarah.  
  
  
"We are?" asked Sarah.   
  
  
"Yes," Ember replied with a smile, "I don't think you nor I could have asked for better soul mates."  Sarah blushed, but could not argue.


	61. Trouble Brewing

When they got back, there was quite a humdrum going on.  
  
  
"What's all the fuss?" Sarah asked James. The Draconians were always speaking in their own tongue, which was difficult to learn even when it was your first spoken language. Few of them bothered to learn English, so nobody really knew what they were saying, except James.  
  
  
"They'll be getting ready to celebrate and feast," James said calmly, setting Hoggle down onto his feet.   
  
  
"Oh, well that's alright," Sarah smiled.   
  
  
"No, it's not.. " Jareth corrected her, handing Toby to her.   
  
  
"Why?" asked Sarah.  
  
  
"It usually means war," James told her, getting helplessly excited.  
  
  
"War?" Ember looked shocked, "is it safe to stay here?"  
  
  
"Of course!" James boasted, his fangs bared, his hands balled up into fists and his wings outstretched in an intimidating fashion, "we bring the fight to our enemies! Draconians never sit and wait for a battle to be brought to us!"  Jareth grabbed James by the throat and thrust him up against the wall.  
  
  
" _Jareth!_ " Sarah gasped.  
  
  
"Sorry!" James spoke through clenched teeth, "I'm sorry.. " Jareth let him go, but kept his eyes on James.   
  
  
"What was all _that_ about?" Sarah whispered to Ember.  
  
  
"James can't help himself sometimes," Ember explained, "he _is_ Draconian afterall. It's in his blood. Jareth.. Well, he helps James remember what's more important."  Sarah nodded mutely, that made sense enough to satisfy her. James would never hurt Jareth, so being threatened by Jareth was a sure fire way to quell James' battle lust.   
  
  
"You know," James followed Jareth inside with his usual cheek, "you could have just _kissed_ me."   
  
  
"And _that?_ " Sarah whispered to Ember.  
  
  
" _That's_ a long story," Ember replied quietly, "a _really_ long story.. "


	62. Shocking News

James approached his parents, keen to learn what was happening.  
  
  
"Mother, Father, who are we fighting?" James asked them.  
  
  
"Ah, there you all are," Julian greeted the friends, "I'm afraid we have some disturbing news."  Everyone stood in silence, unnerved at the prospect of a battle and people being injured or killed. Aryana looked over at Jareth, who stood beside James.  
  
  
"Prince Jareth," she spoke to him formally, "I am sad to have to be the one to tell you this."  Jareth looked up, curious.  
  
  
"Your Majesty?" he asked her, slightly worried.  
  
  
"Your parents have sent a messenger to us," Aryana replied, "it seems they have not heard from you all weekend. They know you have been seeing that girl again.. "   Jareth paled.  Julian thrust the messenger towards Jareth, the messenger fell to his knees and bowed his head.  
  
  
"Go on!" Julian said firmly, "tell him the rest of it!"  
  
  
"I'm so sorry!" the messenger shook with fear, "they.. I-I mean.. "  Jareth swallowed dryly.  
  
  
"How many?" he asked. Everyone looked at him in surprise, _surely not?_  
  
  
"One hundred, Your Highness," the messenger said softly, genuinely saddened by his job this day. Jareth's knees buckled and James caught him, supporting his shocked body as Jareth began to breathe hard and fast in fear.  
  
  
"I claim Sanctuary," Jareth whispered, his voice trembling.  
  
  
"And we graciously extend it," Aryana replied at once, "you have nothing to fear, Prince Jareth."  
  
  
"But there is another issue," Julian added, "your parents know you're here. They have insisted that we return you to them immediately.. or else."  
  
  
"I am certain you know what this means," Aryana spoke gently. Jareth nodded, his body shaking. His parents broke the Treaty the moment they threatened the Draconian Kingdom.  
  
  
"I honestly thought they were smarter than this," Julian spoke disapprovingly. Sarah pulled Ember aside.  
  
  
"What will happen to Jareth's parents?" she asked quietly.  
  
  
"If they go to war," Ember replied, "it is likely they will flee and leave their army to battle it out."  Sarah looked over at Jareth, who was leaning on James heavily but the Draconian easily supported his friend with no visible strain at all.  
  
  
"Come on," Ember led Sarah away, "let's get Toby down before all this noise wakes him up."  Sarah followed her and put Toby into his bed upstairs, then they went into Ember's bedroom to sit and talk.


	63. Deception

Hoggle was still standing in the Throne Room, unnerved by the goings on and hoping the battle driven Draconians knew that he was a friend and not an enemy. James' behavior had unhinged the Dwarf, for if someone as peaceful as he could get riled up, it just made the violent ones that much more terrifying!  Julian hauled the messenger to his feet, turning him around and looking at his eyes angrily.  
  
  
"I think you know our response," Julian told him. The messenger nodded and hastily left the castle, urging his horse to go faster and faster in order to escape as quickly as possible.  
  
  
"James," Aryana spoke gently, "be a dear and take care of Jareth, would you?"  James nodded.  
  
  
"Of course, Mother," James led Jareth away from the Throne Room and up to Jareth's bedroom. Jareth slowly sank down onto the bed, his eyes just staring blankly in disbelief.  
  
  
"One hundred lashes, James," he breathed, looking up at his friend, " _one hundred!_ "  
  
  
James stood before him, but said nothing as Jareth wrapped his head around things. He knew that there was no way his friend could survive such a brutal beating, just what were his parents thinking of? It seemed insane to James, irrational and unjust to say the very least.  
  
  
"What _is it_ with your parents Jareth?" James asked him, sitting beside him carefully. Jareth shook his head slowly, he was just as baffled as anyone else.  
  
  
"I guess I am just a terrible son," Jareth spoke quietly, feeling James' arm come around his shoulder.  
  
  
"Don't think that way," James scolded him gently and Jareth put his head on James' shoulder.  
  
  
"What else could it be?" Jareth asked him softly, closing his eyes to hold back the tears of emotional pain that threatened to fall.  
  
  
"Something's wrong," James reassured him, "but it's not you."  
  
  
James hugged him close, his brow furrowed in silent contemplation. Either Jareth's parents had somehow been bewitched or.. or they were not his actual parents at all. But, since when? And how?  
  
  
"Jareth," he looked at his friend curiously, "have you noticed a change in your parents lately?"  Jareth withdrew from James and opened his eyes, staring at him puzzledly.  
  
  
"What are you suggesting?" Jareth asked him.  
  
  
"Think about it," James told him, "your mother _adores_ you.. She'd never let anyone whip her precious boy."  Jareth frowned and stared at his boots, the more he thought about it the more it made sense.  
  
  
"Jareth," James spoke quietly, "that woman was _not_ your mother.. And I don't think she has been for a while now." Jareth had to admit, James was probably right. His mother would _never_ have sentenced him to ten lashes, let alone one hundred. He looked up into James' eyes with an expression of dawning realization.  
  
  
"Somebody wants me dead.. " he said quietly.


	64. Motive Theories

Sarah looked out of the window over the Draconian Kingdom, it was difficult to see anything here. The sky was a fiery red, there was smoke from the nearby volcano and it made the air outside acrid. Somehow the air inside was perfectly fine and didn't burn her eyes or make her throat dry, she was quite thankful for that. Also, it was quite hot outside but indoors it was temperate.  
  
  
"I just don't understand," Sarah turned back to Ember, "it doesn't make any sense!"  
  
  
"I agree with you, Sarah," Ember nodded, "perhaps the messenger was a fake?"  Sarah looked surprised.  
  
  
"Do you think so?" she wondered.  
  
  
"He had to have been!" Ember stood up now, "someone is trying to destroy the alliance between the two Kingdoms!"  
  
  
"And it's working very well," Sarah added, "but what can we do about it?"  
  
  
"I don't know," Ember replied uncertainly, "I mean, we're really only guessing here, aren't we?"  
  
  
"That's true," Sarah agreed, "but can you imagine anyone having their son punished in such a way?"  Ember shook her head, no.  
  
  
"Never," she replied quietly, "a mother, or even a father, would have never allowed such a thing to happen."  
  
  
"Exactly," Sarah furrowed her brow in thought, "something's definitely wrong."  
  
  
They both turned to see Hoggle enter the room, he sat down on a chair and Sarah relaxed. Her heart had started beating quickly because she thought it might be a Draconian, looking for trouble.  
  
  
"It's getting pretty rowdy downstairs," Hoggle cautioned them, "we should probably stay up here until it settles down."  
  
  
"A good idea, Hoggle," nodded Ember, "we don't want anybody getting hurt by accident."  Sarah looked at Ember.  
  
  
"What do you know about the alliance?" she asked her, "who stands to benefit if the two Kingdoms start fighting?"  Ember sighed heavily.  
  
  
"This is why I should pay more attention in school," she muttered, "we studied this.. "  
  
  
"I know," Hoggle spoke up now. He always paid attention in school because he had to work harder than anybody else to pass his lessons, he struggled to keep up but he always paid attention to all that was discussed.  
  
  
"Tell us what you know, Hoggle," Ember encouraged him, "you may save some lives."  
  
  
"Well," Hoggle cleared his throat, just as Jareth and James approached the doorway and stood there together.  
  
  
"Don't let us interrupt," said James, having no idea what the discussion was about but not wanting to be rude and stop it with his presence. Hoggle nodded, his gaze flicking nervously to Jareth before he continued what he was about to say.  
  
  
"Everyone knows the Draconians are a powerful and brutal race," Hoggle blushed, talking about this when James was present was difficult and he didn't mean to offend, "ain't nobody is stupid enough to cross them. Several Kingdoms are allied with them, but not all of the allies like each other, that's where the trouble is caused. They can't attack one another because of the mutual peace treaty, I'd be looking at the strongest Kingdom allied with the Draconians because they would stand to gain the most if another Kingdom fell. If ya think about it, it kinda makes sense. Jareth's parents own some very impressive land, the revenue from it alone would make an enemy Kingdom extremely jealous."  
  
  
Hoggle fell silent then, he'd said his piece and now it was up to them to discuss and either accept or reject his theory.


	65. Pulling Together

 

"That's a very good point, Hoggle," said James, "there's only one fault with it, though. A strong Kingdom would have no need to take someone else down in this manner, they seek to show their might in battle by conquering others directly."  
  
  
"So you think it's one of the lesser Kingdoms?" Ember questioned James.  
  
  
"We do have one or two of those," James admitted, "strictly for uh.. trading reasons."  Sarah looked at him curiously, what had that falter been about?  
  
  
"Just what do they have that your Kingdom can't just go out and take from them?" Sarah asked him.  
  
  
"Draconians have a fetish for shiny objects," Jareth spoke now, "so in order to stay in good with the Draconians, lesser Kingdoms mine for anything that shines or sparkles. Then they polish and cut whatever they dig up and trade for continued protection."  
  
  
James lowered his gaze, then shrugged and smiled again as if he was not just ashamed of his people's strange obsession a moment ago.  
  
  
"So that's why they all kept staring at you, Jareth," Ember said amusedly. Everyone except Jareth chuckled and James put his arm around the unamused Prince, pulling him closer and planting a soft kiss on his cheek.  
  
  
" _Mmm_ , Daddy _loves it_ when baby pouts," James growled quietly into Jareth's ear.  
  
  
Jareth averted his gaze to the other side of the room, his cheeks slightly aflame.  
  
  
" _Never_ , say that again," Jareth grumbled, finding it more than slightly disturbing. James could not have looked more amused if he tried, his eyes lit up at successfully annoying his friend. Any distraction was a good one at this point, he hated to see Jareth feeling vulnerable.  
  
  
Ember smiled and blushed, she still found it cute but Sarah felt slightly jealous. She knew it was nothing to get upset over, but she couldn't help how she felt. She wanted be the one Jareth came to for comfort, or kisses and cuddles, or anything else he might need. She felt jealous of their relationship, of how close they were and it bothered her that Ember seemed to like watching the two boys together. Sarah really enjoyed Ember's friendship but it gave her pause when she thought that the obsidian beauty would actively encourage the two Princes to engage in far more sexual activities just for her viewing pleasure.  
  
  
She felt terrible thinking about her in that way, but she couldn't help it. Of course, she didn't say anything about it because she might be wrong. Maybe Ember just found it adorable and would not appreciate James coming onto Jareth too strongly, so how could she find out?  Sarah walked back over to the window, there were far more pressing matters at stake here. Love triangles could wait until much, much later on when there weren't so many lives at risk, especially when one of those lives was Jareth's.  
  
  
"What can we do?" Sarah asked the question again, "Jareth's parents surely don't condone this?"  
  
  
"We don't think they _are_ Jareth's parents," James looked at her now, "I'm not entirely sure who, or what, they are but it is quite evident to me that they want Jareth out of the picture."  
  
  
"A Kingdom I can understand," Hoggle furrowed his brow and scratched his head, "but why go after Jareth personally?"  
  
  
"That's where we're drawing a blank," Jareth answered the Dwarf, looking fearful and nervous. Hoggle got down off the chair and walked over to Jareth, looking up at him with some difficulty because the young Prince was so much taller than himself. Jareth knelt down to meet him at eye level, much to everybody's shock.  
  
  
"I know it don't mean nuthin' at all to ya," Hoggle told Jareth firmly, "but I'm here for you, Jareth."  Jareth offered him a small, appreciative smile and drew the stunned Dwarf into his embrace.  
  
  
"It means more to me than you think," Jareth said to him, then he drew back and stood to his full height. Sarah walked over to him now and Hoggle shifted away, still surprised by Jareth's reaction.  
  
  
"He's right though," Sarah put her arms around Jareth's midsection and looked up into his eyes, feeling his arms snake around her waist and his gaze lowered to meet hers, "we're _all_ here. You're not alone in this."


	66. Formulating A Plan

Jareth knew they would be there, as he would be for any of them if they were in trouble.  
  
  
"I do appreciate it," Jareth said quietly, "but I'm not going to let it bother me anymore. I am going to find out the truth, one way or another."   
  
  
"Does that mean we get to skip school tomorrow?" asked Ember.  
  
  
"No," said Jareth firmly, looking over at her, "we don't want to alert anyone to the fact that we know something's up. We must behave as normally as possible."  
  
  
"Good point," Ember agreed, "it's better to have the element of surprise."  
  
  
"Exactly," Jareth nodded, "now, unless someone wants to join in the festivities downstairs, I suggest we all get some sleep."  
  
  
He turned and left the room, followed by Sarah and they shared a bed because Sarah was still worried about someone coming up from downstairs. Hoggle went and slept in the spare bed next to the one Toby was asleep in, but Ember stayed where she was and sat down on the edge of her bed, ready for sleep.  
  
  
"I'm going to head downstairs for a while," James told Ember, "I'll be back a bit later, alright?"  
  
  
"Oh, okay," Ember said uncertainly, curling up in the bed, "if you're sure that's wise.. ?"  
  
  
"Ha, I'll be fine!" James looked excited again, "nothing like a good old pre-battle celebration to get the blood pumping!"  
  
  
He hurried off downstairs and Ember chewed her fingernail, _should she tell Jareth?_ She decided that if James was not back in a little while, as he'd told her he would be, she'd tell Jareth. But it was getting late and her eyelids felt heavy, so she was soon fast asleep and unaware of just what time James got back to bed; or if he got back at all.


	67. Battle At Dawn

Downstairs, the Draconians were chugging ale and ripping into meat of all different kinds. James was among them, easily caught up in the hype and excitement. He was drinking and eating until he puked, then there'd be laughter and he would eat and drink some more. It was a tradition that James did not mind joining in on, even though he was slightly underage for the alcohol consumption part of it. Everyone was so drunk by now, they didn't seem to notice him and so he got away with it. In the early hours of the morning, the noise finally ceased as each Draconian finally slumped to the ground, unconscious. But when they awoke, there would not be hangovers and headaches, moans and groans.  
  
  
The preparation of this night would fire up their blood and they would wake up, ready for battle and feeling unreasonably violent. It would not do anyone any favors to get in their way, it was best to leave them alone until they had left the castle. James was the first one to wake up that next morning, his eyes looked around as he slowly got to his feet and he felt a fire in his belly that just wouldn't go out. He knew what it meant and he struggled to keep it under control, taking deep breaths and blinking slowly - concentrating very hard. He made his way upstairs and hesitated outside Ember's bedroom door, but he didn't want to risk hurting her so he went to Jareth instead.   
  
  
Jareth woke with a start when James hauled him out of bed, he stood there half asleep for moment and then felt something cold and metallic touch his palm. His fingers closed around the hilt of his sword, he had but a moment to register what was going on and he brought it up at the last second to clash with another blade.  
  
  
"James!" he spoke firmly, "what are you doing??"   
  
  
James lunged at him again and their blades clashed loudly, waking Sarah up. She scooted back fearfully, not understanding why James and Jareth were suddenly sword fighting in the bedroom. James was careful not to hurt Jareth during their fights, Jareth also showed the same restraint and this fight was no different. Jareth noticed the fiery glare in his adversary's eyes and suddenly understood that James needed to feel spent in order to calm himself down.  
  
  
"It's alright Sarah," Jareth spoke to her, dodging a thrust from James' sword, "I just need to wear him out, that's all."  James nodded silently, grateful to have such an understanding companion or else he'd be out there now looking for trouble with the others. Sarah relaxed a little, knowing Jareth had things under control and she sat back to watch now in fascination.  
  
  
"How long does it normally take?" Sarah asked curiously.   
  
  
"Hours," Jareth replied.  
  
  
" _Hours?_ Guys, we've got school!" Sarah reminded them.   
  
  
"We'll make it there," James spoke now, "I can control it, sort of, just got to stay active.. Tire myself out."  Sarah nodded, wondering just how many times this had happened before?  
  



	68. Sparks

  
"I'm going to get ready," Sarah said, getting up and walking to the door, "see you guys when you're done, okay?"  
  
  
"Alright," Jareth struck at James, their blades clanging loudly, "be careful, they haven't left yet."  
  
  
Sarah nodded and left them to it.  
  
  
James threw down his sword, so thinking it was over; Jareth threw down his, too. James strode over to Jareth, grabbed his upper arms and pushed him onto the bed. They sat down, side by side and James stared at Jareth. They were both breathing hard, but James wasn't done yet.  
  
  
"I've been thinking about it," James said quietly. Jareth looked puzzled.  
  
  
"About what?" he asked.  
  
  
"About you," James reminded him, leaning in close to Jareth's ear so that his lips brushed against it when he spoke, "I rocked you like a hurricane.. "   Jareth closed his eyes.  
  
  
"James.. " he warned.  James ran his tongue along Jareth's neck, down to his shoulder.  
  
  
"Taking you was like sliding between silk sheets," James growled, biting Jareth with his fangs.  
  
  
" _Argh, fuck!_ James.. !!" Jareth warned him a second time. James was close to his ear again.  
  
  
"How was I?" he breathed softly, "you never did tell me.. "  Jareth didn't care for dirty talk, he would really rather not kiss and tell; it's just how he was brought up. James grasped Jareth's thigh firmly, sliding his hand up inch by inch slowly.  
  
  
"Alright!" Jareth spoke again, James stopped and waited, "to be completely honest.. I thought I was going to catch alight.. "  James chuckled darkly, it was true that his body grew very hot when he was excited but not dangerously so.  
  
  
"I can't stop thinking about it, Jareth," he whispered again, breathing into Jareth's ear hotly. He started to suck and bite playfully at Jareth's throat, kissing it and running his tongue along it softly.  
  
  
"James.. " Jareth breathlessly spoke his name.  
  
  
" _Mmm_.. " James closed his eyes and slid his hand right up between Jareth's thighs so that he grunted.  
  
  
" _James_.. James, stop!" Jareth pushed him gently and James sat back, staring hard at him.  
  
  
" _Damnit_ Jareth!" James grit his teeth together.  
  
  
"We _can't_ , James!" Jareth insisted, "think of Ember and Sarah.. "  James slowly lowered his gaze.  
  
  
"We have to show some self control now," Jareth told him firmly.  
  
  
"You're right," James nodded slightly, "I'm sorry.. I'm just so fired up.. "   
  
  
"I know," Jareth took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He stood up and James looked at him curiously.  
  
  
"Where are you going?" James asked him.  
  
  
"I need a _very_ cold shower right now," Jareth said quietly, "you have had a lot more practice in self control than I."  James smirked and shrugged.  
  
  
"Not _that_ kind of self control, babe," James admitted, "the violence I can quell but this? I'm just so fucking _powerless_ against it.. "  Their heads turned sharply towards the door, where Ember was standing and had made the mistake of stifling a sneeze.  
  
  
"How long have you been there, luv?" James asked her.  
  
  
"Long enough," Ember said quietly. Jareth turned away and felt his face grow hot but James just grinned at her.  
  
  
"Oh, don't worry!" Ember put her hands up in front of her, "I won't say anything, it's okay.. I don't mind."  
  
  
"What're you saying, luv?" James tilted his head at her.  
  
  
"I'm saying, like I know you guys have a history," Ember told them, "and I'm not getting in the way of that. It's alright, I completely understand."  Jareth looked at her now.  
  
  
"It doesn't bother you?" he questioned her.  
  
  
"No," Ember replied truthfully, "it really, _really_ does not." James arched a brow at her, then looked at Jareth cheekily.  
  
  
"One down.. " he quipped. Jareth rolled his eyes and headed for the door.  
  
  
"Excuse me," he spoke quietly and left for the showers. Ember pouted at James, so he stood up and hugged her tightly; kissing her neck.  
  
  
"I don't deserve you," James mumbled against her obsidian skin.  
  
  
"And don't you forget it!" Ember smirked, pulling him down onto the bed with a giggle, "now, let me take care of that for you.. "


	69. Reflection

Finding cold water in the Draconian Kingdom was not a simple task, but Jareth knew this castle inside and out so he had very little trouble locating the one and only Guest Bathroom with cold running water. He thought about what James had said but he didn't agree, because if James was truly powerless against his sexual urges; he wouldn't have stopped when Jareth had asked him to.  
  
  
*  
  
  
Before too long, the Draconians had woken up and set off towards their destination while for others it was a typical Monday morning. At the school, there was a lot of concern about the sudden movement from the Draconian Army, but things still went on as normal throughout the course of the day. Sarah was worried about Toby, but James kept reassuring her the servants were watching him.  
  
  
Ember spent a lot of her time with her arm around James' waist and her head on his shoulder. It was her way of letting others know that he was not available, she paid no attention to his constant flirting because it stopped at the greeting and did not go any further.  
  
  
James was slightly uncomfortable with the situation, he felt owned and it was not a nice feeling to have. He was a free spirit and did not like the idea of settling down, but he really liked Ember so the struggles were mostly internal for him.  
  
  
Jareth was perfectly happy with his prize, a rare treasure from another world. He saw something more within her though, he couldn't quite place it but Sarah gave him the impression of near equality when he looked at her. Somehow he knew that, given time, she'd be his perfect Queen and his search was over.  
  
  
As for Sarah, she was very keen on Jareth as well but it was this thing with James that bothered her so much. She knew deep down that it wasn't fair for her to be jealous, Jareth had chosen her and that's what really mattered. She needed to focus on just being with him, letting him know he could turn to her and count on her. There needed to be a rebuilding of trust between them and it was going to take time, so if she truly loved him then she had to be patient. She sat down next to him under the tree, looking around at their little group and smiling. How short a time it had been, just a week ago none of them really spoke all that much and now they sat together whenever possible. She felt slightly egotistical when she thought about it, but it seemed to only have happened after she'd arrived here.  
  
  
But quite possibly the happiest of the group, was Hoggle. Growing up in near poverty had given him a different perspective on life and an appreciation for every little good thing that happened in it. Hoggle considered these people his friends, the first ones ever and he had never felt so content as he did today. He felt warm, full and happy. Nobody picked on him anymore and if they dared to, Jareth got quite vocal about it. Hoggle never asked for, nor expected it of Jareth, it just happened and Hoggle was extremely grateful.  
  
  
But there was this niggling feeling still, right in the back of Hoggle's mind. Sometimes when he looked at Jareth, the young Prince was staring off at nothing and there would be this feeling of darkness emanating from him. It wasn't always there, which was what confused the Dwarf and prevented him from telling someone about it. It made his stomach do flip flops whenever he noticed it and someday, he would live to regret not mentioning it to anyone..


	70. Playing With Fire

Jareth had suffered a trauma, he'd been in trouble before but this was the first time something had ever affected him both physically and psychologically. James had suffered a trauma some years ago and his way of dealing with it was to blatantly flirt with anyone and everyone, he made himself so out there that it was easy to forget he had been subject to the abuse at all. Nobody asked him about it, he rarely ever mentioned it himself and so in a way it was as though it never happened. But this way of handling trauma was self detrimental, it often crept up on him when he least expected it and he found himself wiping away tears that he hadn't realized were there until they streamed down his cheeks.  
  
  
Jareth wasn't dealing with his problem quite so quickly, he was allowing it to fester within his mind and lace his every thought with darkness. He withdrew further into himself with each flashback, he needed to talk to somebody but the words just refused to come out of his mouth. So resentment began to creep in, very slow and subtle.  
  
  
"Everyone's talking about the war," Ember was saying, when Jareth began to pay attention again, "they seem to think it's going to go on for a while."  
  
  
"Maybe they'll close the school until it's over," said Sarah, "what then?"   
  
  
"It won't come to that," James replied firmly, "the fight is far enough away and it has no business coming this close to school grounds."  
  
  
"You're probably right," agreed Sarah, "and I'm glad, it's really nice here."  Hoggle was glad too, because his parents had paid for the entire year in advance. He noticed that Jareth was silent and hadn't spoken for a while, so he looked at him and got that sense of darkness radiating from the distracted Prince.  
  
  
"What do you think about it, Jareth?" Hoggle asked him curiously. Jareth looked at him and got to his feet, his brow furrowed as he walked away from the group.  
  
  
"Where do you suppose he's off to?" Sarah wondered.  
  
  
"Maybe to the toilet?" James shrugged, "it's time to go in anyway, the bell's gonna toll."  So they all got up and began to head back to the classrooms, but Hoggle couldn't just let it go. There was something bothering Jareth, it was dark and foreboding. It terrified the Dwarf, but he wasn't clever enough to know what to do about it.  
  
  
*  
  
  
"Hi Jareth," Claire greeted him as he approached her. Jareth looked at her, unimpressed.  
  
  
"How's your back?" Claire tested his patience, her eyes trailing down to his wrists, "looks like it still hurts."  Jareth pursed his lips, determined not to bite.  
  
  
"So I noticed you're still with Sarah," Claire went on, watching his face for any reaction, "even though she's the one who got you those scars.. "   
  
  
"What do you want, Claire?" Jareth finally spoke to her, a dangerous tone of warning in his voice.  
  
  
"I _want_ James," Claire replied quietly, meeting his gaze with her own, "and _you're_ going to help me get him."


	71. What's Mine Is Mine

  
"Is that right?" Jareth asked her, "and just how do you come to this conclusion?"  
  
  
"Because I know Sarah's not from around here," Claire said smugly, "everyone knows the law, we learn it before we even learn how to walk! She's from that other place, isn't she? Where humans apparently exist."  Jareth stared hard at her.  
  
  
"So it'd be a real shame if someone were to accidentally let that slip," Claire reached out to touch his wrist but Jareth pulled away, "still tender, huh?"   
  
  
"What is your interest in James?" Jareth asked her, "he's made it perfectly clear that he likes Ember."   
  
  
"James likes everybody," Claire said angrily, "he's really in love with me, he just doesn't know it yet because, as you said, Ember is distracting him."  
  
  
"They seem perfectly happy enough to me," Jareth smirked.  
  
  
"I don't care," Claire told him, "I want James for myself and I need your help to get him."  
  
  
"No," Jareth refused.  
  
  
"Listen to me," Claire began to threaten him.  
  
  
"No, you listen to me!" Jareth growled at her, fed up by this time, "whether you are aware of it or not, James belongs to me. In case you hadn't noticed, he does nothing if I disapprove and whatever I might say to him in your favor; he knows I just don't like you!"  
  
  
Jareth turned sharply on his heel and strode away, leaving Claire flustered and blushing with embarrassment. She suddenly pushed away from the wall and went after him, there wasn't anyone else around right now.  
  
  
"I'll tell everyone!" Claire shouted. Jareth stopped in his tracks and turned towards her, so Claire approached him slowly.  
  
  
"Yeah! That's right!" she forced a nervous, yet smug smile onto her face, "I'll tell everyone that little bitch is from-.. "  
  
  
She held her hands up to defend herself, as Jareth had summoned a crystal orb into his hand and threw it right at her. It landed at her feet, there was a small explosion of smoke and glitter all around her and when it had settled, Claire was gone. Jareth stared at the spot where she had been standing, he hadn't meant to do it.. But there wasn't anything he could do about it now.  
  
  
"What did you do?!" Claire squeaked. Jareth knelt down and picked her up in his hand, looking at her curiously.  
  
  
"You're a _worm_ ," Jareth told her quietly, "you are _nothing_.. you are _worthless_.. _nobody_ will miss you."  He walked over to the window, then threw her out of it and went to class. Claire landed safely in some flowers outside, but nobody would ever see her again. Jareth sat next to James and Hoggle, just in time as the teacher entered the classroom to begin the lesson. James leaned closer to him.  
  
  
"Jareth," he whispered, "there's glitter all through your hair.. "   Jareth looked at him and smirked.  
  
  
"Still fired up?" he asked, winking at him playfully.  
  
  
"Bloody tease," James grumbled with a grin, "I _hate_ you."  
  
  
"No you don't," Jareth sat back and inclined his head, exposing his neck to the Draconian. James bit his fist and turned away with a guttural growl escaping his throat. Jareth laughed quietly, turning his gaze back to his work. 


	72. Magic Guidelines

"Alright," Mr. Wyrmfire turned to the class, "now, for those of you who do magic.. What defines magic? It can be mind reading, summoning objects, moving things with a mere thought, or even medicine can be considered a magic of sorts. It can be very useful but it can also be quite dangerous, who can tell me when it is not okay to use magic?"  Everyone was silent.   
  
  
"There are several reasons," Mr. Wyrmfire prompted them all, "can anybody think of one?"   
  
  
"I can," said James suddenly.   
  
  
"Yes, James," Mr. Wyrmfire looked at him, "when should we never use magic?"    
  
  
"In anger, of course," James replied with a cheeky grin.   
  
  
"Exactly right!" Mr. Wyrmfire wrote it on the board, "never use magic in anger! Who can tell me why?"   
  
  
"It goes wrong," Jareth spoke up now.   
  
  
"Yes!" Mr. Wyrmfire smiled, "precisely! Magic is just like a potion, if you add even just a pinch more of something; you won't get the desired result. Anger is an ingredient of magic, too much and you're just asking for trouble.. Now, can anyone give me an example of magic going wrong in history?"   James leaned over again.  
  
  
"Jareth," he spoke quietly, "remember that time you tried to turn one of your crystals into a snake?"  Jareth bit back a laugh and James chuckled softly. How could he forget?   
  
  
"I still haven't quite got the hang of that one," Jareth muttered, making James laugh again and Jareth struggled not to laugh along with him. It had been a hot day and he and James were outside in the garden, James wanted to see a snake and they'd hunted all morning for one. In the end, Jareth tried to just make one appear but it hadn't come out quite right. Instead of a snake appearing in his hands, Jareth had somehow summoned a little Night Troll. They played with it for days, until they got bored with it and forgot about it.  
  
  
"I wonder where the little guy ended up?" James wondered.  
  
  
"I have no idea," Jareth replied, "what was his name?"   
  
  
"I dunno," shrugged James, "I think.. Was it Ludo?"   
  
  
"Sounds familiar," Jareth nodded.   
  
  
"Wow, he must be huge by now!" James realized. Jareth scratched at his wrist, it was starting to get itchy and it annoyed him to the point of distraction.  
  
  
"I'd stop doing that if I were you," James cautioned him, "you'll make it bleed."   
  
  
"So what?" Jareth scratched harder, "it itches, alright?"  James looked at the almost raw rope burns, they really should have healed a lot more than that by now. Something wasn't right here..


	73. The Bigger Picture

After that class was over, James took Jareth aside and led him away from the building.  
  
  
"What are we doing out here?" Jareth asked him, "we've still got lessons.. "   
  
  
"Jareth, look me in the eye.. " James instructed him.  
  
  
"What?" Jareth squinted at him, "James, I am not in the mood for your sex games right now!"  
  
  
"It's not that," James was serious, "come on, just try it. I bet you can't."  Jareth sighed and looked at him, but try as he might; he just could not meet James eye to eye.  
  
  
"That's really weird," Jareth said, puzzled, "why can't I do it?"   
  
  
"Because something doesn't want to be found," James replied quietly, sticking a small sticker onto his forehead, "now stare at this and let me see.. "  Jareth looked at the sticker and James stared into his eyes, Jareth had no idea what James would be looking for.  
  
  
"Jareth?" James spoke again, "Jareth, stop looking now.. " Jareth blinked and stopped staring at the sticker, James pulled it off and looked very worried.  
  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Jareth.  
  
  
"You don't remember?" asked James.  
  
  
"Remember what?" Jareth frowned, "you said look at the sticker, so I did. What's the issue?"  James looked more concerned.  
  
  
"Jareth, I have had a very lengthy conversation with you right now," James revealed to him, "and you've just admitted to not remembering it."  Jareth looked at him in disbelief.  
  
  
"I swear I'm not playing games," James told him, "this is serious. We have to go for help."  
  
  
"I'm not going anywhere," Jareth insisted.  
  
  
"I'm not asking," James said firmly, "we're going. Right now."


	74. It's Worse Than We Thought

Jareth watched him start leaving the school grounds, he glanced back towards the building and sighed heavily before finally walking after him.  
  
  
"And just where are we going?" Jareth asked James, when he'd caught up to the Draconian.  
  
  
"I can't tell you," James replied, "just.. trust me, okay?"  
  
  
So Jareth kept walking with him and did not ask again, such was the strength of their bond; he would trust James with his life and vice versa. James stopped once they were out of sight from the school, he turned to Jareth and lifted him up into his arms.  
  
  
"It's a bit of a distance from here," James explained, "shut your eyes and I'll fly us there."  
  
  
Jareth held onto him tightly and closed his eyes, the sensation of flying with his eyes shut was very uncomfortable and he would not tolerate such things for anyone but James. James knew exactly where to go, he just hoped it wasn't too late..   
  
  
*  
  
  
James landed a while later and Jareth opened his eyes, looking around. They were in a forest clearing, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. James walked over to a grassy mound of earth, placed his palm upon it and a wooden door appeared. He knocked on it three times, then walked back over to Jareth and waited.  
  
  
"Who lives in there?" asked Jareth.  
  
  
"A very wise old man," James replied, "if anyone can help us, it's him." The door slowly opened and an old man shuffled out of it, looking over at the pair.  
  
  
"Hallo Nathaniel!" James greeted him.  
  
  
"James!" smiled the old man, "how have you been?"  
  
  
"Can't complain, Nate," James replied, "listen, I've got a favor to ask of you."  
  
  
"Of course," Nathaniel said with a smile, "what is it?"  
  
  
"You know my friend, Jareth.. " James said to him.  
  
  
"I know _of_ him, yes," Nathaniel replied, "but we've not met."  James said nothing more and Nathaniel looked harder at Jareth.  
  
  
"You have suffered a recent trauma," Nathaniel said firmly.  
  
  
"Wow, impressive," Jareth rolled his eyes, "everybody knows that!"  
  
  
"Jareth, please.. " James scolded him gently, "this is important.. "  He placed the sticker onto Nathaniel's forehead.  
  
  
"Not this again," Jareth grumbled.  
  
  
"Just look at it," James insisted. Jareth turned his gaze to the tiny sticker, watching it for a little longer this time and then suddenly; everything went dark.  
  



	75. Scratching The Surface

"Jareth?" James' voice sounded far away, like an echo coming back from a long distance away, "Jareth, wake up.. "  His eyes fluttered open and he slowly sat up, the woods were spinning so fast it made him feel sick.  
  
  
"What.. What happened?" Jareth asked.  
  
  
"That's the best part," James told him quietly, "you won't remember."  
  
  
"And that's a good thing?" Jareth asked him.  
  
  
"Trust me," James nodded, "it is for the best." Jareth looked at the grassy mound, the door and the old man were both gone.  
  
  
"Come on," James helped him to his feet, "let's get out of here."  
  
  
*  
  
  
Inside the mound of earth, the old man placed a jar upon his shelf. He looked around at the many thousands of jars upon his multitude of shelves, all containing dark, disembodied entities. Such attempts to take over people were on the increase and it made him worried, he almost hadn't been able to remove this last one for they were getting stronger and stronger. Something more needed to be done, a root cause had to be found and stopped!  
  
  
*  
  
  
James and Jareth got back to school in time for lunch, they sat by the tree as if nothing had happened and Jareth closed his eyes; feeling drained.  
  
  
"Are you ever going to tell me what just happened?" Jareth asked.  
  
  
"Probably not," James replied.  Jareth opened his eyes and leaned in close, whispering something into James' ear that made even the very flirtatious Draconian blush profusely.  
  
  
"Oh, that is cheating!" James accused him, as Jareth drew back from James with a smirk.  
  
  
"Well?" Jareth prompted him, "is it a deal?"  James clawed at the grass.  
  
  
"Alright!" James gave in, "but not here, babe.. It's too dangerous."


	76. Sprung

"Hey guys," Ember greeted the two Princes.  
  
  
Jareth and James stood up as their friends approached, then they all sat down together. Hoggle had missed them in some of his classes today, but he said nothing because he didn't want them to get into trouble. Sarah and Micah started talking about what they wanted to do for a project they'd be working on together, while James and Ember lay in the grass making out. Jareth looked up as the principal walked up to them, his heart beating faster as she frowned at him.  
  
  
"Jareth, James," she said firmly, "I'm afraid you will both need to come with me."  James sat up, looking her over.  
  
  
"What for, Mrs. Frostwyrm?" asked James.   
  
  
"Skipping classes," replied Mrs. Frostwyrm, "come along.. "  James sighed and stood up, Jareth leaned over and kissed Sarah's cheek before following them across the grounds to the principal's office.  
  
  
"Jareth and James skipped classes?" Micah frowned in disbelief, "whatever for?"   
  
  
"It would have been for a very good reason," Ember replied, "I'm sure they'll be back pretty soon."   
  
  
"I hope so," Sarah watched them walking away, "I hate it when Jareth's not around."   
  
  
"Aww, you're so _in love!_ " Ember giggled at her and Sarah blushed but she was right just the same. Hoggle got up and started off after the young Princes, because while he had noticed that Jareth no longer emanated that darkness; the feeling was still lurking around.  
  
  
"Why is Hoggle going with them?" asked Micah.   
  
  
Ember and Sarah shrugged, but nobody tried to stop him because Hoggle had quite the bad temper when he got angry.  
  



	77. On Thin Ice

Mrs. Frostwyrm led the two boys into her office, then she shut and locked the door once they had seated themselves. James felt the hairs on the back of his neck stiffen up, his blue eyes watching the principal's every movement as she came to sit down at her desk.  
  
  
"You two have been very busy," she began, "skipping classes is breaking the rules."  She leaned over the desk, lowering her voice.  
  
  
"Where did you go?" she asked, her eyes piercing theirs as she looked at each of them in turn.  
  
  
"To a forest somewhere to the-.. " Jareth started.   
  
  
"..To be alone!" James interrupted him. Jareth shot him a puzzled expression, what was he playing at now?   
  
  
"Alone?" Mrs. Frostwyrm lifted a brow, "whatever for?"   
  
  
"We uh.. Well, we're in love, you see.. " James said quickly, "and we just couldn't wait for home time.. "  Jareth kicked him under the chair, why was he telling such a blatant lie?  Mrs. Frostwyrm looked surprised.  
  
  
"You know this sort of behavior is punishable by death?" she enquired.   
  
  
"Yes," James replied nervously, "that's why we had to go somewhere less crowded.. "  Jareth's heart started hammering again, was he _trying_ to get them killed?!   
  
  
"Prove it," Mrs. Frostwyrm said evenly. James looked over at Jareth, who was just as wide eyed with nerves as himself.  
  
  
"Go on," Mrs. Frostwyrm prompted them, "prove it and you can go."  Jareth and James both got to their feet, James quickly embraced Jareth tightly and Mrs. Frostwyrm's eyes grew darker.   
  
  
"What are you _doing?!_ " Jareth hissed into James' ear, "have you _lost your mind?!_ We could _hang_ for this!!"    
  
  
"Trust me," James whispered back, "I'll explain later."   
  
  
Jareth drew back and James felt his friend's body trembling with fear as they leaned in and softly started to make out, quiet moans escaping both of them as they lost themselves into the kiss. Mrs. Frostwyrm's fingernails clawed across the top of her desk at the thrilling sight, something so forbidden that it was unheard of and yet here it was; right in front of her. She would have been lying if she'd said it didn't turn her on, her eyes fixated upon the two boys and never left them until they withdrew back from one another. Jareth instantly returned to his seat, his gaze downcast. James looked at the flustered, almost breathless principal.   
  
  
"Abuse of power is also punishable by death," James warned her.   
  
  
"You may go," Ms. Frostwyrm excused them. Jareth got up and quickly exited the office, but James stared evenly at the principal.   
  
  
"Do I have something stuck in my eye?" James asked her. Mrs. Frostwyrm avoided eye contact with James and looked puzzled.  
  
  
"I'm sure it's nothing," she said hurriedly, "off you go now."  James swallowed dryly and left the office, this was worse than he'd imagined.  Mrs. Frostwyrm looked up as a man walked into her office.  
  
  
"Well?" he asked firmly.  
  
  
"They don't know anything," Mrs. Frostwyrm reported, "continue on as planned." The man nodded and silently left the school grounds, passing by Hoggle who was just outside the door the whole time. Hoggle got a very good, clear look at his face and then wandered off quickly in fright at everything he'd just seen and heard.   
  
  
*   
  
  
James hurried to catch up to Jareth, who was walking quickly.  
  
  
"Jareth, wait up!" James caught his arm and Jareth spun around to face him.   
  
  
"Are you _insane?!_ " Jareth demanded angrily, "you could have gotten us _killed_ back there! What were you _thinking?!_ "   
  
  
"Jareth, let me explain!" James insisted, "she's one of _them!"_  
  
  
"One of _who?_ " Jareth raised his voice.   
  
  
"Not _here_ , babe!" James lowered his own voice, "please, just _trust me_ and I'll explain _everything_ at home." Jareth did not look impressed with the situation but slowly calmed down and accepted his explanation for now.  
  
  
"Alright," Jareth said quietly, "but it had _better_ be good!"  
  



	78. Pieces Of The Puzzle

After school, James took everyone into the War Room. It was a room that was supposed to be used for discussing military tactics, it was the most secure room in the entire castle and he knew that they would not be overheard in here. Everyone sat at the long table, where the War Council usually sat and they all turned their attention to James when he stood at the head of the room. He told them about Nathaniel, who James had met when he was small. Nathaniel had taught James about other beings, who had no physical form and were jealous of those who did.  
  
  
They were dark entities who mainly preyed upon anyone who had been recently traumatized, for those were the most susceptible. James then went on to explain how they were now taking people in positions of power, trying to either use them for their own sinister purposes or get rid of them to further their own agendas.  
  
  
"We have to find out the source," James finished up, "because these things are far more dangerous than anything anyone has ever come across."  
  
  
"What is finding the source going to achieve?" asked Ember.  
  
  
"The source will be the one in charge," James explained, "take that one down and the rest will slither back into whatever blackened realm they emerged from."  
  
  
"How do we know where to even start looking?" asked Sarah.  
  
  
"I'm not sure," James frowned, "perhaps I could get myself caught or something.. "   
  
  
"Wait," Hoggle spoke up boldly, "I think I've seen this source you're talking about."  Everyone looked at him.  
  
  
"It's easy to get overlooked when you're, well, me," Hoggle said quietly. Hoggle then explained everything he'd seen when James and Jareth had left the office, not mentioning the part that happened before the two boys were excused.  
  
  
"Fantastic!" James praised the Dwarf, "even if he isn't the source, he will be working closely with it. If we can find him and follow him, I've no doubts we'll get to the bottom of this."  
  
  
"What do you mean 'we' ?" asked Jareth, "in case you haven't noticed, James, we're just kids. We should tell someone."  
  
  
"We're not _kids_ , Jareth," James argued with him, "we can handle this!"  Jareth sighed heavily and then slowly stood up, James smiled at him in relief.  
  
  
"Anyone else in?" James asked. Sarah stood up, then Hoggle and then Ember and Micah.  
  
  
"Alright," James looked at them all in turn, "we've got ourselves a posse."  
  
  
"So what now?" asked Sarah, "we don't even know who he was."  
  
  
"Hoggle," James looked at the Dwarf, "let Jareth read your mind, think about the face you saw. Maybe we know him.. "   Hoggle nodded and looked at Jareth, who stared into the Dwarf's eyes silently for several long moments. Hoggle thought hard about the man he had seen, until Jareth stumbled back and blinked his gaze away.  
  
  
"What is it?" asked James, as Sarah went to Jareth and held his arm to comfort the shocked Prince.  
  
  
"You'll never believe it," Jareth said quietly, lifting his eyes to meet with James', "it's the messenger!"  
  
  



	79. Divided They Fall

Hoggle felt he should have known that, because he'd been right there when the messenger had delivered the news. But he'd been dressed differently, the man Hoggle had seen at school was clothed in much finer threads.  
  
  
"I don't understand," James looked confused, "if your parents have been taken by these entities, why goad us into warring with them?"   
  
  
"They want my family out of the picture," Jareth replied quietly.   
  
  
"But for what reason?" James demanded, "it makes no sense!"   
  
  
"Because," Jareth said softly, "we can read minds."   
  
  
It was starting to make sense now, James only knew what to look for because of Nathaniel but reading minds was a huge threat to these things. Jareth was still learning but the adults and the Elders were quite skilled at it and would easily spot such a darkness if they were looking for them.   
  
  
"We have to stop the war," Jareth said firmly, "or there'll be nobody left!"   
  
  
"It's only been a day," James reckoned, "the battle won't start until tomorrow, it's a general rule of thumb to give the enemy time to make it a challenge."   
  
  
"Then there's still time?" asked Sarah.   
  
  
"Yes," James nodded, "I want to go to my parents with this information first, I might be their Prince but the army won't listen to me if they're wanting to fight. Only my parents can stop them now."  James walked over to the door, looking back at Jareth.  
  
  
"Wait here with the others," James told him, "just in case.. "   Jareth gave him a short nod, then James left and closed the door behind him.  
  
  
"Just in case what?" asked Micah, nervously.  
  
  
"In case there's trouble," Jareth replied quietly, "I can get us out of here quickly, if need be."   
  
  
Sarah cuddled into him with worry, if James' parents were somehow in on this as well, it'd be a very dangerous task for the young Prince to let them know what he knew. So James went to his parents in the Throne Room and let them in on what had been going on, they listened to him carefully and believed him. They had no reason not to, James might have been a handful growing up but the one thing he had never done to his parents, was lie.   
  
  
"Let's go," Julian got up, "send for our horses!"  James sighed with relief, but there was still the source to deal with. He went back to the War Room, letting the others know it was all clear.  
  
  
"We have to go to Nathaniel," James said firmly.   
  
  
"We have to locate the source!" Jareth argued.  They stared at each other for a while, a tense silence filled the room.  
  
  
"We'll have to split up," Jareth said at last, "you go for Nathaniel, I'll get to the source."   
  
  
"Right," James nodded, "be careful, babe."  Jareth turned to the others as James left, with Ember rushing out after him.   
  
  
"Hoggle, Micah," Jareth said quietly, "I want you to stay here and keep an eye on little Toby. Sarah.. "   
  
  
"I'm coming with you," Sarah insisted. Jareth smiled at her.  
  
  
"Of course," he gave her a nod, then took her hand and they vanished.   
  
  
"Oh I hope they know what they're doing!" Micah worried.   
  
  
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Hoggle told her, "come on, let's go and find Toby.. "    
  
  
He walked out of the War Room with Micah following him, but deep down he was terrified. Jareth and James always worked best when they were together, not when they were apart. He had to wonder if them getting split up was somehow part of the source's plans..


	80. Out Of Options

James arrived at the forest clearing and landed lightly, but when he looked at the grassy mound of earth; the door was already there and wide open. He hesitantly looked around, then approached the door and realized it had actually been torn off it's hinges.  
  
  
"Nathaniel?" James called nervously, "Nate?"  He backed away as Nathaniel emerged from the doorway, he looked like he had been roughed up.   
  
  
"James," Nathaniel leaned heavily upon his walking staff, "it's not safe!"  Nathaniel hurried over to James, who looked at the doorway and watched some people come out of it.   
  
  
"I was wondering how long it'd take you to come here," grinned the apparent leader of the group, "now that I have located the missing ones, our victory is assured!"   
  
  
"You're not winning anything," James growled, baring his fangs at them, "others are onto you, we will stop you!"   
  
  
"You say 'we' yet you stand alone," the leader sized him up, "where are your friends?"  James held his ground, he was very scared right now but he refused to let it show.   
  
  
"You are in over your head, _boy!"_ the leader took a step closer to James, holding up a jar that contained a particularly menacing looking entity, "I've chosen this one especially for you." He chuckled darkly but nobody made a move towards the young Draconian Prince. He was youthful and strong, he was determined and scared, combined together it all made him too dangerous for them to get close. They had to get him to go along with it willingly, so their attention turned to Nathaniel.  
  
  
"You will obey," the leader warned James, "or your friend will suffer the consequences."  James glanced at Nathaniel worriedly and faltered, if only Jareth were here to get the old man to safety; James would have very little trouble at all dealing with these guys..  
  



	81. Strategic Fail

Jareth and Sarah appeared back in the castle where Jareth's parents ruled, they crept along the hallways and kept out of sight on their way to the Throne Room.  
  
  
"What's the plan?" whispered Sarah.  
  
  
"We find the messenger and follow him to the source," Jareth whispered back.  
  
  
"Then what do we do?" asked Sarah quietly.  
  
  
"We stop him," Jareth muttered, as some guards passed them by.  
  
  
"Jareth this place is about to be swarming with Draconian soldiers!" Sarah reminded him softly.  
  
  
"James said it won't start until tomorrow," Jareth reminded her, "don't worry, I'll think of something."  They hesitated as they reached the doorway to the Throne Room, Jareth turned to Sarah.  
  
  
"Wait for me," he instructed her, "if something goes wrong, I'll need you to go for help."  
  
  
"Alright," Sarah nodded, "Jareth please be careful.. I.. I love you.. "  Jareth looked at her, surprised at the admission and he drew her close into his embrace.  
  
  
"I love you too, Sarah," Jareth told her firmly, "and don't worry, careful is my middle name.. "  
  
  
He kissed her lips softly, then crept out and left her there to wait. Sarah's heart was thumping into her throat, she was absolutely terrified for him but she couldn't just stand here and wait for him. She wanted to do something more, so she crept out and followed him at a distance and waited for an opportunity to get involved.  
  
  
Jareth saw his parents over by the window, they seemed to be watching the Draconian army as it surrounded the entire castle.  
  
  
"What are they waiting for?" asked his father.  
  
  
"I'm not sure," his mother replied, "when do we flee?"   
  
  
"You don't," Jareth entered the room and they turned to face him with surprised expressions.  
  
  
"Jareth!" his mother looked the most shocked, "what are you doing here? Oh, my baby boy, let me look at you!"  She rushed over to him and hugged him tightly, quite in disbelief that he was actually here.  
  
  
"You can drop the act," Jareth shoved her and she stumbled backwards. She straightened herself up and her eyes turned pure black, with no whites at all.  
  
  
"How did you find out?" she asked him.  
  
  
"It doesn't matter," Jareth told her, "I'm going to stop you."  
  
  
"You can certainly try," his father smirked, "but it would appear that you are at a disadvantage right now."  
  
  
He gestured to Jareth and two burly trolls grabbed each of Jareth's arms tightly, preventing him from escaping. They were easily seven feet tall and built like brick houses, Jareth swallowed dryly as the messenger now walked into the room slowly.  Jareth squirmed helplessly, if only James were here to take out the trolls; Jareth could concentrate on reading the messenger's mind and find out where the source was..


	82. Not Just A Pretty Face

Sarah cringed when she saw that Jareth had been grabbed, she looked around to see if there was anything she could do to help and she saw a rope. It was very loosely tied and she looked up, it was supporting a heavy beam that hung just above where the trolls were holding Jareth. She crept into the room, keeping low to the floor and when she got to the rope; she pulled it hard. The beam came crashing down, a direct hit onto the heads of the trolls. It knocked them out cold and they dropped to the floor, along with the beam. Jareth was startled but wasted no time in lunging at the surprised messenger, tackling him unceremoniously to the floor. Jareth held him down easily, using his thighs and legs to pin the guy's arms to his sides. He grabbed the messenger's head, squeezing it hard.  
  
  
"Stop!" the messenger begged through clenched teeth, his eyes shut tight.   
  
  
"Open your eyes!" Jareth instructed him, "or I'll crush your skull!"    
  
  
"How did that beam come loose?" wondered the Queen.  
  
  
"Just bad luck," shrugged the King, "I'll handle this.. "   
  
  
He started towards Jareth, so Sarah quickly glanced around once more to see if she could do anything else to help. She spied the fireplace and the heavy, metal objects used to stoke the flames. As quickly as she could, she made her way over and grabbed one of them. Standing up, she took a quick, deep breath to calm her nerves.  
  
  
"Hey!" she shouted, grabbing the attention of the King and Queen, "over here!"   
  
  
Sarah backed off as they started to approach her, the idea was to buy Jareth some time but she hadn't planned ahead after that so she hoped he got the information he required quickly. Jareth did not possess the physical strength needed in order to crush anyone's head, but he was clever and he now had time to think of something else.  
  
  
"James!" he feigned surprise, "you're here!" The messenger's eyes flew open to see the Draconian, but of course it was merely a ploy and Jareth locked his gaze with that of the messenger's.   
  
  
"No," Jareth struggled to find the information as the messenger blocked his thoughts, "come on, _come on_.. "    
  
  
Sarah gripped her weapon tightly, apologized quickly and swung out at the King. It connected with his head and he was instantly knocked out, eliciting a scream from the Queen. The noise distracted the messenger, who lost control of his thought blocking and Jareth got the name of the source at last. He made a fist, but the messenger fainted at the thought of being punched and Jareth slowly got to his feet.  
  
  
"Get away from her!" Jareth warned the Queen, "or you'll be next!"  The Queen backed off, she was cornered now and would not try anything more without backup.  
  
  
"Sarah," Jareth went to her and smiled at her, "you were amazing! I'm impressed!"  Sarah beamed at him and blushed, hugging him happily.  
  
  
"Have you got it?" she asked him, pleased that they were such a great team.  
  
  
"I have," Jareth nodded, "let's go and find James."   
  
  
He took her hand and they vanished again, appearing just outside the clearing of Nathaniel's home. Hidden among the tree line, Jareth and Sarah surveyed the scene tensely. James was laying on the ground, Nathaniel was being held off to one side and some strange man was trying to get James to accept an entity into his body.  
  
  
"Where's Ember?" Sarah whispered. Jareth looked around but he couldn't see her anywhere.  
  
  
"I'm going to help Nathaniel," whispered Jareth, "do you think you can help James?"   
  
  
"Of course," Sarah nodded firmly, still clutching her weapon, "just say when."  Jareth decided there was not a moment to lose.  
  
  
"Now!" he said firmly and he ran directly towards Nathaniel. Sarah burst out from behind the trees and wielded her metal poker at the man pinning James down, he put his hands up to defend himself and James saw his opportunity to escape. The situation was under control within moments, James was not affected by the darkness and had escaped infection by one.  
  
  
"Am I ever glad to see you two," James sighed with relief, "where's everyone else?"   
  
  
"Hoggle and Micah are watching Toby," said Sarah.   
  
  
"What about Ember?" asked James, looking around for her.   
  
  
"We thought she was with you," Jareth told him.  
  
  
"What?" James frowned, "no, she's not with me."   
  
  
"We saw her follow you out of the War Room," Sarah insisted. James couldn't understand where she might have gone, but there were more pressing issues at hand.  
  
  
"Did you find out who we're looking for?" James asked Jareth, "did you discover who the source is?"  
  
  
"I did," Jareth nodded.   
  
  
"Alright," James approached him, "so.. who is it?"


	83. The Source

"It's Principal Frostwyrm," Jareth replied quietly. James halted in his tracks and they stared at each other, unnerved at how close they had come to being taken out by the source.  
  
  
"So.. " James tried to shake off the feeling of dread that was creeping flesh bumps all up along his spine, "what um, what's the plan then?"  
  
  
"We just get Nathaniel to remove it from her," Jareth answered him.  
  
  
"It won't work," James told him, "she's too far gone. We have to.. " Jareth didn't ask him to finish his sentence, he knew what was required to end this nightmare and it wasn't going to be pretty. But who would be the one to do the deed?  
  
  
"Is this a private party or can anyone join?" came a voice. The friends stood together as Mrs. Frostwyrm emerged slowly from the trees, flanked by several guards.  
  
  
"It's almost a shame to have you all brutally murdered right when you were doing so well," Frostwyrm smiled coldly, " _almost_. Kill them all!"  
  
  
The guards rushed at the group of friends, who stood firm and ready to defend themselves. There was a loud screech and the guards all stopped, frozen in place just before they got close enough to start attacking. All eyes turned to Frostwyrm, who now lay on the ground; dead. Leaning over her lifeless body, was Ember. She turned her gaze up to lock with James' and she felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks, for she felt that he could never be with someone who had blood on their hands.  
  
  
"Ember," Sarah recovered from the shock first, "where've you been?!"  Ember slowly got to her feet, the guards fell to the ground and writhed in pain as the dark entities began to erupt from their mouths and escape into the forest.  
  
  
It was over.  
  
  
"I followed James out of the castle," Ember told her story, "I didn't let him see me, I wanted to help him but I got scared when I saw Nathaniel was in danger. I panicked and I hid behind some bushes back there through the trees, but then I saw Frostwyrm. I followed her to the clearing and I knew I had to do it, I mean.. I had to do _something!_ After I just.. I just _ran away_ and left you.. "  She started to sob hard, only calming down when she felt James' strong arms envelope her.  
  
  
"Shhh," he hushed her gently, "it's over now, luv."  Sarah cuddled up to Jareth, glad there wouldn't be any more trouble from these weird creatures ever again.  Jareth put his arms around Sarah, pulling her tighter against himself. James looked down at the body, it had a sharp rock sticking out of it's neck and there was a black ooze gushing out of the wound. He turned away, his stomach churning and his heart racing rapidly.  
  
  
"Well," said James, looking over at Jareth, "I don't know about you, but I'm a little humiliated at being rescued by a couple of _women!_ "  Sarah and Ember's jaws dropped, pretending to be offended because they knew James was only playing.  
  
  
"Of all the bloody cheek!" Ember pushed James and he laughed at her affectionately as she play tackled him to the ground, then they started making out, feverishly. Sarah turned towards Jareth, looking into his beautiful eyes.  
  
  
"And what about you, Jareth?" she asked him.  
  
  
"I don't mind being humiliated by a woman," Jareth replied with a suggestive smirk, "only.. just so long as it's you."  Sarah looked surprisedly at him and blushed.  
  
  
"That is _so hot_.. " Sarah said softly, leaning in and making out with Jareth deeply.  



	84. Everything's Falling Into Place

A few days later, things had returned to normal. Of course, nothing would ever be quite the same again, there had been a lot of damage done by the entities and not all of it could be just forgiven and forgotten. Jareth's parents were sorry to have lost their son, but they were happy that he had found a place where he could just be himself and have fun. Jareth was now a King, James had showed him the land of the Goblins and had even offered to have them removed but the little creatures amused Jareth and he decided to let them stay. He had himself a castle built, then he made sure the goblins had somewhere to stay as well by having an entire city built for them. It circled around the castle, so nobody could sneak in without having to get through the city first.  
  
  
Some of them even were trainable to become guards, sort of.. And a ragtag bunch of them made themselves into a funny, little army. It wasn't the best protection, if it were any protection at all. So Jareth used his powers to have a massive Labyrinth suddenly appear all around his Kingdom, with a ward over it to disallow flight over it's walls. Of course the alliance with the Draconians was extended to Jareth and Sarah, who planned to marry in the future but Sarah was considered the Queen all the same.  
  
  
James and Ember also planned to marry someday, but whether they did or not was uncertain because of James' playfully flirtatious nature and Ember's decreasing ability to handle it. Sometimes she wanted to just smack him, once or twice she almost did but James always seemed to know when he'd nearly gone too far and settled down before she lost her temper. It bothered him, because he just wanted to be himself and Ember was restricting that. He was unable to understand her reasoning, he'd always been this way since the incident with his Nanny and he wasn't going to be able to change overnight.  
  
  
Ember knew she had to be patient, but it wasn't easy and James loved her all the more for it. Everyone still attended Underground High, they would finish what they had started and see it through to the end. Toby was having a blast with his new play things, the goblins. They were as wild as himself and there was no end to the games and fun that could be found in the huge Labyrinth that kept him safe at all times. Didymus and his loyal doggy friend, Ambrosias were guarding the bridge that crossed over a giant peat bog. Jareth had promised the little terrier a Knighthood if he agreed to make sure that nobody crossed the bridge without Didymus' permission. The terrier had accepted at once and was now known as _Sir_ Didymus.  
  
  
Hoggle had also managed to get away from his hovel by becoming Jareth's grounds keeper, he had somewhere nicer to live within the Goblin City and in return he kept the pests out of Jareth's gardens. Even Claire had somehow wriggled her way to the Labyrinth and found a nice worm to live with, he had big, red eyes and fluffy, blue hair and he was very polite. Micah stayed best friends with Ember, determined to be her flower girl at the wedding someday and perhaps be hired as a Nanny if Ember and James had children later on.  
  
  
But that was still a while away, for now they all sat around the tree on the small rise that overlooked the school grounds and talked about stuff that didn't really matter.  
  
  
"You know what I could go for right about now?" asked James.  
  
  
"What could you go for, James?" Jareth asked, his eyes closed and his arms wrapped around Sarah; who was leaning into him and relaxing in the sun.  
  
  
"Birthday cake," James teased him. Jareth opened his eyes as everybody started to chuckle uncontrollably.  
  
  
"What?" Jareth looked around at them, lifting a brow in questioning, "what's so _funny??_ "

 

  
  
****  
  
=THE END=


End file.
